Betrayal
by Raven2609
Summary: First Part of the Betrayal Series! A story about Love and Hate, Trust and Misgivings, Betrayal and Loyalty. Nothing is like it seems. And when you finally think you ve figured it out all changes again! R S Babe story! Complete! Bonus Chapter Up!
1. Chapter 1

Disc: **For this and all following chapters**: The Stephanie Plum Universe with all Characters belongs to Janet Evanovich. I´m just playing. The idea and all Characters you don´t recognize belong to me.

Author Notes:

I want to say Thank you to Kayly Silverstrom who inspired me with her Masterpiece " When a Lioness Fights" to this Story.

Another Thanks goes to every other Author, may they write Fanfiction or for a living, for wonderful hours of escaping reality.

A big Thanks to David Rio Chai Latte Tea, that kept me going.

And last but not least THANK YOU **Margaret Fowler**, my beta reader, for boosting up my ego after every chapter and in between.

To all readers of Almost Lover I am stuck. I don´t know when I will get back to AL but it´s NOT abandoned!

**WARNING**

**This Fan Fiction is called Betrayal for a reason. **

**The Characters of Ranger, The Merry Man and Stephanie are in for a rough ride.**

**It is a Drama, a Tragedy, Suspense and even Angst and Hurt/Comfort.**

**And a little Romance, because I do love HEA´s and I am a BABE!**

**If you read this keep in mind:**

**Black is not always Black; but White in disguise. **

**And vice versa!**

**And the Author loves her twists and turns and she likes to lead you astray and to surprise you.**

**Enjoy!**

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 1**

**Stephanie's PoV**

**October 14, 2011 0530 hours**

**Trenton, NJ**

Today is going to be the best day of my life**. **

Today three years of hard work will finally pay off.

My name is Stephanie Michelle Plum and I´m supposed to be a Bond Enforcement Agent.

I´m sure you heard about my misadventures.

Exploded cars, firebombed apartment, dead bodies on my couch, apprehensions covered in garbage, snakes in my closet, burned down funeral homes, well I´m sure you remember all.

But not all in my life is as bad as it sounds.

I have a crazy and loving family by blood.

I have a scary and loving family by choice.

I have unique friends.

And I have Batman.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

Today is going to be the worst day of my life.

Today three years of hard work will bring nothing but despair.

My name is Stephanie Michelle Plum and I´m a FBI Special Agent.

I´m sure you never heard about me.

….Classified….

But not all in my life is as good as it sounds.

Besides my grandma and my nieces I have no family that is worth mentioning.

I have a scary and loving family by choice.

I have unique friends.

I have Batman.

And today I will lose EVERYTHING.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Let´s try this again. seems to have some issues today, as Betrayal was unavailable and I had no access to my account. I have reloaded the first chapter, too. Thanks to all who read and reviewed and to all who tried to do. Just try it again. You know I love to hear from all of you.

Love, raven

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 2**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 14, 2011 0540 hours**

**Trenton,NJ**

I´m sitting in an unmarked Van four blocks from 2223 Haywood Street putting on my gear.

Black trousers.

White blouse.

Dark blue flak vest with FBI written across it.

Black shoes with a low heal.

Utility Belt.

A Glock 22 .40 S&W in my hip holster. Right side.

A Glock 26 9x19mm Parabellum in my ankle holster. Left leg.

A Ka-Bar combat knife in a sheath strapped on my left forearm.

Two pair of handcuffs and three extra clips .40 S&W. Backside.

Small Maglite, a small can of maze and a stun gun. Left side.

Black jacket.

Hair up, in a French Twist.

Comm-unit. Earpiece and a Microphone taped on my left cheek. Transmitter hefted on the belt.

Lip gloss.

Five coats of mascara. I need more than just courage.

Shiny Badge dangling on my chest.

Today I´m not proud to wear it.

Today it stands for my betrayal by doing the right thing.

T -10 minutes

Arrest and search warrants. Check.

T -9 minutes and 30 seconds

Hostage Rescue teams on standby for all locations.

T -9 minutes

All teams for secondary targets in Trenton and Newark in position and ready.

T -8 minutes and 18 seconds

All teams in Boston, Atlanta and Miami in position and ready.

T -6 minutes and 2 seconds

Teams blue and red in position and ready to cut of power and communication.

T -5 minutes

SWAT Teams Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel in position and ready.

T -3 minutes

Helicopter ETA on time.

T -59 seconds

A last look at my colleagues.

T -41 seconds

Nods in encouragement.

T -30 seconds

A last deep breath.

T -20 seconds

All feelings locked away.

T -10 seconds

Team Black ready.

I am.

I have to be.

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

"Let´s Rock´n´Roll."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you for all the hits and to all who took the time to leave me a few words. Your reviews are really the only thing I´m getting for writing.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 3**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 14, 2011 0600 hours**

**Trenton,NJ**

Today started like every other day. I got up at 0400 like usual and worked out for 90 minutes, showered, got dressed and ate breakfast.

I´m standing in front of my staff (minus two men on the monitors and one man on the desk in the lobby) for our usual Friday morning meeting, going over the reports of the night and what is on the agenda for today and the weekend. Rodriguez, the supervisor for the night shift had just started his report as the lights went out. Military training kicked in. The sound of 35 guns and Maglites being drawn echoed through the otherwise silent room.

We are soldiers; we don´t run around like a bunch of headless chicken.

On my sign four teams of two men went out to cover the doors on the roof, ground-floor and the gate to underground-garage. A short look out of the window told us, that at least five blocks were dark too. Seems like it´s normal blackout. We relaxed slightly. The emergency power aggregate should kick in every moment now.

A minute ticked by but still no lights.

I heard a helicopter.

Just as I was about to bark out orders the door to the control-room banged open.

Stun grenades went off and then there was a lot of yelling.

"FREEZE"

"FBI"

"You are under arrest. Drop your weapons. Get on your knees, hands on your head."

None of my men moved.

The most of us were Special Ops we were familiar with stun grenades, the affects won't last long and even blinded and half deaf we can put up on hell of a fight.

"FBI"

"Guns down. NOW"

Seconds to decide.

Do I follow the order or not.

If it´s an ambush by someone of our past, we will die.

But we will go down fighting.

Problem is, it didn´t sound like an ambush, it sounded pretty authentic; especially because I trained the SWAT teams of the Feds. So I made my decision a nanosecond after the second command was made.

"Do it" I ordered my men. "Full cooperation."

"Yes, sir" They thundered understanding what it meant. Don´t resist and shut your traps until I have spoken with Benson our lawyer.

29 guns and Maglites dropped to the ground swiftly followed by us; dropping to our knees, ankles crossed, hands folded on our heads.

My eyesight became clearer by the second. Dawn creped over the horizon and bathed the floor in eerie twilight. I counted ten men surrounding us, decked out in full SWAT gear.

One by one we were stripped of our remaining weapons. In most cases a backup gun and a knife. Some had also stun guns, maze and brass knuckles. Except for Hector who had besides his RangeMan issued SIGSauer P226 .357SIG, 2 Ka-Bar combat knives, 4 throwing knives, 2 sets of throwing stars and 2 butterfly knives. Heaven knows where he packs all of them.

Only when we were all cuffed in hand and leg shackles tied to a chain around our bellies, the lights came back on.

The eight men, who went out to cover the entrances and Binkie who manned the Lobby, were dragged in unconscious but otherwise unharmed as far as I could see. They were either stun gunned or shot with tranquillizer darts. Moments later Ella and Louis were also escorted into the control-room, they too were handcuffed but without foot cuffs. Ella looked a bit pale but with her head held high. She even refused the chair that was silently offered to her kneeling down next to me instead. That´s my Tia for you. She´s a Manoso by birth it takes more than a few Feds to rattle us.

Two more SWAT teams came in and closed in on us. We were covered almost one to one. As much as I was seething with anger I was impressed with how smooth the takedown went. I have never seen; that almost 40 highly trained, armed and dangerous men were apprehended without casualties on either side. Hell I´m willing to bet all I have, that even the 9 unconscious guys didn´t break so much as a fingernail. As soon as this mess is sorted out I´m going to hire whoever planned this gig.

A ripple went through the men and all raised their guns, pointing straight at our hearts.

Well it seems we are about to meet the puppet master.

Two men stepped aside revealing what surely must be a bad dream.

"Babe"

I guess a Manoso can be rattled by a Fed after all.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: To answer a question that came up Betrayal is set In-Canon (with maybe minor changes) til Book 16, so Ranger and Steph are not a couple. Furthermore I´m almost done with writing so you can look forward to daily updates as long as RL plays nice with me.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing. Keep it up please.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 4**

**Stephanie´s PoV **

**October 14, 2011 0609 hours**

**Trenton, NJ**

The takedown at Haywood went smoothly. No deaths no injured. 9 men were taken out with tranquillizer darts.

On my command Team Blue cut off the power for a 5 mile radius around Haywood and Team Red shut down all cell towers in and around Trenton.

Thanks to me the emergency generator won´t start, leaving Haywood completely defenseless. Normally it was set up to start within 30 seconds in case of a blackout and running Emergency protocol 1.

In that case Haywood would go in lockdown modus, leaving the inner doors accessible only with thumbprint and all outer-doors completely inaccessible until the Master code was entered on Rangers computer.

I watched the monitors as my men moved in.

Team Alfa took out Ram and Zero as they stepped out of the stairwell to guard the gate to the garage.

Teams Bravo and Charlie took out Binkie at the desk and Hal, Bones, Manny and Zip as they came down to guard the front and the back entrance.

Team India took out Junior and Slick on the roof before the helicopter even touched the ground.

The men were cuffed and my Teams moved in to secure all floors.

My heart broke little by little with every man who was taken down.

Floors 1,2,3,4, and 7 were empty as expected and Team India was already on their way to backup Team Foxtrot on the fifth floor. Team Golf secured Ella and Louis and were met with no resistance.

Thank Fuck.

I was pleased to see that Team Golf followed my orders to the dot and cuffed them loosely.

But that didn´t stopped my heart from breaking.

I watched as Foxtrot threw the stun grenades and them and India moving into the control- room.

I heard them yelling in my ear.

"FREEZE"

"FBI"

"You are under arrest. Drop your weapons. Get on your knees, hands on your head."

Fear gripped me as neither Ranger nor his men moved.

I prayed to whatever deity who was willing to listen to let them obey.

"FBI"

"Guns down. NOW"

I watched as Ranger went over a million possible outcomes in his head in a nanosecond until he finally relented.

"Do it. Full cooperation."

"Yes, sir"

A bitter laugh escaped me. I know what "full cooperation" meant.

It meant they allow us to arrest them without getting killed in the process.

Oh I have no illusions of their capabilities and ours.

Hell Ranger knows thirty ways to kill you with his pinkie finger.

His left one.

Even with all the firepower and being trained by Ranger himself my money would be on RangeMan if it comes to an open fight.

But "full cooperation" also meant we won´t get a word out of them except one: Lawyer.

I watched RangeMan being disarmed and cuffed.

And my heart broke and broke and broke.

My partner who is in charge for the secondary targets radioed in.

"All targets arrested. Locations secured."

"Status"

"Two dead targets. No injured. Nothing on our side."

"Good." Another reason to strike at daybreak: minimal damage.

"We are going to search the areas now and collect evidence."

"Tell Team Yellow to bring Lula her neon green spandex dress and her silver Via Spiga´s and her make-up."

"Copy that"

"Thanks"

"You in yet?"

"One my way"

"Steph I´m…"

"Don´t Joe. Just don´t."

"10-4"

I stopped in front of the door that leads to fifth floor. I gathered every ounce of strength I possessed, nodding to my partners Johnson and Brady, who flanked me and went in. I was met with a circle of Men in Black. A perverted parody of the people I came to love. Yes life is a bitch and then it has kids. I gave a whispered command and two of the men moved.

My Men and Woman in Black kneeled in front of me disarmed and shackled but still proud, head held high.

Beaten for now but not broken.

Until they understood who stood before them.

Who exactly was responsible for their arrest.

I saw them crumple before my eyes.

My heart shattered.

All of that and more I saw out of the corner of my eyes. My focus was solely on the man in front of me.

I willed myself to watch the surprise and disbelieve and hurt and anger and betrayal in his eyes. It´s the least I could do. I might be a traitor but I`m not a coward.

"Babe"

My heart and soul was ripped in pieces.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you so much for reviewing and putting me on alert and fav. Enjoy and please leave me a few lines. ALL of you!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 5**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 14, 2011 0616 hours**

**Trenton, NJ**

I closed my eye for a moment under the onslaught of feelings. The look in Rangers eyes will hunt me for years to come. Shoving Stephanie Plum Bounty Hunter resolutely away, that will be dealt with later. Stephanie Plum FBI Special Agent was in charge now, and there is a job to get done.

I squared my shoulders and addressed Johnson to my right.

"Give them the antidote."

Meeting Bobby´s eyes I explained.

"They were taken out with a new sedative called `Daze` 1. The antidote consists mainly of ephedrine and epinephrine; they should be up and about in two to three minutes with no aftereffects, not even a headache."

While we waited for them to come around, I forced myself not to quiver under the hateful stares of the people I called friends not 20 minutes ago.

Groaning Binkie, Hal, Ram, Zero, Bones, Zip, Manny, Slick and Junior woke up and were helped on their knees by my men. And once again I watch as understanding dawned in the eyes of loved ones. Turning them from confusion, to surprise, to comprehension, to denial, to realization, to hurt, to disgust and finally to hate.

I´ve earned every single look.

My focus went back to Ranger and the core team.

"Messrs. Manoso, Dupree, Santos and Brown you are under arrest for various offences against the RICO ACT.

The rest of you is arrested on suspicion of complicity and conspiracy."

I saw a short flicker of confusion in Rangers eyes before his blank face slammed down leaving nothing but black holes.

I read them their rights.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

"Yes" every one of them responded. And I´m pretty sure that will be the last word they spoke to me.

I turned and left.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

**Ranger´s PoV**

**October 14, 2011 0800 hours**

**Somewhere between Trenton, NJ and Quantico, VA**

We were sitting in a plane and I still try to warp my head around what the hell happened.

We were arrested. Under the RICO ACT no less and on top of that we were arrested by the woman I love, who apparently is a FBI Agent.

RICO ACT! Organized crime!

I feel like I stepped in the Twilight Zone.

I made a mistake in my youth yes and I have atoned for it.

I joined the Army and I became the best of the best.

I fought for my country and for freedom.

And yes I killed. I´m a soldier damnit, it is what we do to protect the innocent. And yes I killed as a civilian too, but always in either self-defense or in defense of a third party. Never did I take a life for some petty reasons. Never did I killed someone when it wasn´t sanctioned just because I thought the world would be better off without them.

I am not that arrogant.

I´m a businessman, a security expert I protect people for heaven's sake. My business is a 110 percent clean. We follow the protocol to the letter; ask my men, I´m absolutely anal about it. Not once was a case declared mistrial when RangeMan was involved. Every car, every weapon, every little piece of equipment down to a paper clip is obtained legally. As are our actions, they are always coordinated with the local police station or whichever ABC agency we might come across. Our apprehensions were always recorded on audio and video. It´s not common knowledge and I would like to keep it that way; after all we have a reputation to uphold in the shadier parts of town. Never was a complaint filed against RangeMan. Not even some province cop shop can claim such a record.

O.K sure sometimes we operate in the grayer areas of law to obtain information but always, always for what´s good and right.

Never ever have we crossed the fine line between good and bad.

And now we are arrested….I can´t warp my head around it.

But the worst is my Babe…

Here I thought I knew her. Hell I could read her like an open book. She wears her heart on her sleeve for everyone to see. She breezed into my life, hell all our lives and broke down the walls we build around us without even trying, or so I thought. She played me, she played us; like a fucking violin she played us and we were happily dancing to her tune. I trusted her not only with my life but with my heart and soul.

I sacrificed my life, my family, my daughter, my love to protect those who can´t protect themselves; and I should participate in organized crime. Did she not know me at all?

Tomorrow my government contract will expire and I wanted to give her our someday finally. I gave her my heart and she ripped it into pieces.

I had to bit my lip until blood flowed to keep the tears at bay.

After we landed they drove us to a none described brick house in an area I know well. We are in Quantico.

They escorted Tank, Bobby, Lester and I into a gray painted room with no windows not even the obligatory mirror was there. In the middle stood a table with four chairs and a camera hung above the door. Puzzled why they didn´t separate us we stood at the opposite wall facing the door and waited.

About half an hour later the door opened and Plum and her goons came in.

"Mr. Dupree, would you please follow us?" White burning rage flared in me and I wanted nothing more than to shove her polite words back down her throat.

Shoving my hate ruthless aside I nodded to Tank.

Time for revenge will come.

Soon.

An hour later a man came in carrying a tray with coffee, bottles of water and sandwiches, setting it on top of the table. He relieved us of our shackles and told us to knock if we had to use the bathroom.

We didn´t react.

We stood stoic for hours. If they think they can wear us down with this little waiting game they better think again. All of us were captured and interrogated by the enemy at one point or another and nobody broke. Contrary to their methods this is a walk in the park.

The door opened again and in came Plum with a fresh tray of coffee.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

1) "Daze" exists solely in my imagination.


	6. Chapter 6

**PLEASE READ**

A/N: It has come to my attention that the reader of Betrayal might get the impression that I am bashing Ranger. I will admit that I am not very nice to him and the MM, but fellow Babes this story is called BETRAYAL. And it´s called BETRAYAL for a reason. But maybe not the reason you may think Now. Of course I am not playing nice. Neither with Ranger and the Merry Man NOR with Steph. Although I will be "cruel" with her in a different way. The road to Hea is a rough one.

Life had taught me some very hard lessons over the years. One of those lessons was that Black is not always Black, but White in disguise. Or the other way around. On that note I prefer to write difficult stories with difficult themes. It´s more of a challenge for me than some fluffy stuff, although I do love to read it from time to time. Even I need something for the romantic heart.

Regarding Joe Morelli I will let you into a secret, because I do Love you my readers, Joe is only a minor character in this story. You will find something out on Wednesday at the end of Chapter 8.

Now ranting time is over.

My beloved readers thanks for the many hits and the reviews. Although there could be a few more from the later, regarding the hits. (That was a not so subtle hint)

Yes the not so nice ones too! I´m not so delusional to think that everyone loves my writing, I just don´t like prejudice and intolerance (without it the world would be a much better place)

Raven

J. that one is for you.

**THANK YOU**

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 6**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 14, 2011 0645 hours**

**Trenton, NJ**

RangeMan Trenton were on their way to Quantico. The crime scene techs, forensics and computer geeks swarmed the place and took over with the speed of light.

A man and a woman in army fatigues took over the monitors and watched the RangeMan clients.

And I know three teams of two will circle the streets dressed as RangeMan. Here, in Boston, in Atlanta and in Miami.

Ranger won´t bleed any more money because of me.

A gray-haired man in uniform stepped in the room. Major General Hamilton the Commander of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command – CID.

"Plum" he greeted me.

"General"

"Good job"

I was about to respond as Miami Alfa radioed in.

"Miami Alfa secured and on the way. Everything went smoothly no resistance, no deaths, no injured. ETA 20 minutes. Miami Bravo reported three targets killed, one suicide, no serious injuries. No innocents involved. No deaths on our side. Two men with minor flesh wounds and a few bumps and bruises, full recovery expected." I released the breath I was holding.

"Well done, Miami Alfa."

"Congratulations Plum you did a good job."

"Yeah" I´m not so sure about that.

"Listen Steph if you hadn´t done it, it would have been someone else and I doubt it would have gone over this smooth. Your plan saved many life´s today and not just ours."

I had to bite back tears.

"Thanks Lewis."

"Report will be on your desk by 1400 hours."

"10-4"

Boston and Atlanta reported similar success in rapid succession.

As soon as I was finished with Atlanta the General barked.

"Report"

Despite all I couldn´t hold back a small smile.

"Sir, all locations are secured and are being searched as we speak. No casualties among the primary targets or on the Alfa teams. We have a total of seven killed secondary targets and one suicide. None in Atlanta, two in Boston and Trenton, three in Miami as well as the suicide. Minor injuries only. We have lost no one and only two flesh wounds in Miami."

"Well, Plum that´s what I´ll call a successful mission." He slapped me on my back.

"Yes, sir" I said but couldn´t meet his eye.

"None of that Plum. We do what must be done.2 Yes what you did was hard, but I for one am glad that you did it. Without you we would have lost a lot more good men then we already did. And I don´t mean just today. Be proud of what you accomplished."

I could hear the sincerity in his voice and met his eyes.

"Thank you, sir." And I really was grateful for his words. He reminded me why I did what I did and gave me back my purpose.

"You´re welcome. Now Plum I believe you have a job to finish. Give me a call when you´re done." He said and left.

Next I called my Boss next and gave him a complete rundown of the events in Trenton and a brief report about the other cities.

After I was finished F. asked:

"Are you going to proceed as planned?"

"I don´t see any reason why not, the dangerous part is done. We are now obtaining the remaining evidence and double checking that I didn´t overlook something or someone."

I retorted briskly.

"That is not what I meant Stephanie."

"I know but the answer is still the same. I may not have started this but I will be damned if I didn´t finish it."

"As you wish."

Disconnect.

I made a last walkthrough, making sure everyone did his or her job and took the helicopter to Quantico.

2 It´s the motto of the CID


	7. Chapter 7

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 7**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 14, 2011 1600 hours**

**Quantico, VA**

This is creepy. Since they arrived they stood with their backs to the wall facing the door on the other side. No one moved. No one talked. 160 men secured in different rooms and different locations, behaving absolutely in sync.

We were in the observation room sitting in front of the bank of monitors were every single room in Quantico, Boston, Miami and Atlanta was shown.

After Ranger and his men where brought here we separated certain objectives while others stayed together. We brought them sandwiches, water and coffee; and told them to make themselves known if they need to use the restrooms. Of cause they refused everything.

This procedure was the same at the compounds in Boston, Miami and Atlanta; the reception, too.

As we planned this mission we decided against to bring them all to Quantico, mostly because it is a huge logistic effort to transport 218 men and women, most of them highly dangerous, safely. But the main reason was that most of them were innocent as the main culprits sat in Trenton.

I have just received the last reports. Everything I discovered over the last three years was confirmed, additional evidence was collected, the first henchmen have confessed and mercifully we haven´t found any nasty surprises.

The lab rats did a fantastic job, collecting and confirming the outstanding pieces of evidence and it´s now on the way to our lab for further analyzing.

The officers of the PDs and DAs of Trenton, Newark, Miami, Atlanta and Boston got confessions or were working on deals with the secondary targets.

The accomplices in Boston and Miami were under lock and key and now on the way to a secret location for interrogation. The rest of RangeMan Atlanta, Boston and Miami are released at this very minute.

The injured SWAT members were treated and are already back home.

All that's left to do is delivering the final blow to RangeMan Trenton.

And that´s my job.

Lucky me.

I turned back from the monitors and let my eyes wander over the assembled men and women in the room. We really are a motley crew. Some were on board from almost the beginning, some jumped on the train at one point or another.

Representatives of the Army, Navy and Air Force; Various Police Departments; ATF and DEA; CIA; NSA; Homeland Security and form the office of the United States Attorney.

That´s what I´ll call a Joint Tasked Force.

Everyone wants some of the laurels.

And they are going to feed me to the wolves; by my own request.

Words were unnecessary. Cooper from the Homeland Security and I left the room.

We strode down the corridor. Taking a deep breath I stepped in the room alone and faced the one who was responsible for this mess and asked:

"Why?"

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

Two hours later I was beat. I stepped out of the room and bracing my arms on the door I rested my forehead on the cold metal.

Joe reached around me and offered me a mug of steaming hot coffee which I accepted gladly. Taking a small sip I almost moaned in bliss. Not only did he add the right amount of cream and sugar but also a generous amount of hazelnut syrup.

"You should be nominated for sainthood, Joe."

"That I should, Cupcake that I should." We went back to the observations room. As soon as I entered applause broke out. I was clapped on the back and congratulated for getting a full confession. I smiled and accepted the congratulations gracefully, and yes I was proud of what I accomplished; but the dread of what was still to come dimmed the happy feelings. It´s a bittersweet victory. Our impromptu victory celebration soon died down; we weren´t finished, I wasn´t finished, there was one thing left to do: releasing the innocents.

* * *

><p>AN: So now I would like to know what do you think!


	8. Chapter 8

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 8**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 14, 2011 1830 hours**

**Quantico, VA**

I stepped in the room and before I even could set down the tray with the fresh coffee Ranger barked "Lawyer" at me, his expression absolutely thunderous.

I sighed and set the coffee down; straightening my posture I looked him square in the eye, silently willing him to listen.

"That won´t be necessary Ranger, I´m here to…."

"Lawyer" Ranger, Bobby and Lester hissed together before I could finish. In their eyes I saw nothing but hate.

That was what I feared the most. That they won´t even listen before they shunt me.

In that very moment the last glimmer of hope in me died, I became an empty, functioning shell; sheer force of will kept me upright and on my feet.

In a shallow voice I spoke:

"As I said that won´t be necessary. All charges against you are dropped, you are free to go. The FBI apologizes..."

As soon as I said the words `free to go` they started walk.

"…for your inconveniences… "

One by one they rushed by me.

"…and thanks you for your cooperation." I finished in an empty room.

This scene was repeated eleven more times except that I didn´t try to explain anything anymore.

After the last man, with a last hateful look, left the room I sat heavily on the floor, leaning against the wall and closing my eyes, shutting out this cruel world.

What could be minutes or hours later a well-known body slid down next to me and gathered me in his arms.

"They are gone, Cupcake. They are all gone. We are alone. You can let go now." And I did. I let lose the iron-grip I had on my emotions for the last hours, days, weeks, months, years and I wept. I grieved about the despair I brought; for the colleagues, friends and family I lost but mostly I mourned the love of my life.

Joe held me tightly through all the tears until I had no more. He carried me to the bathroom and gently cleaned my face, and then he carried me to the observation-room and laid me down on the couch. He brought me a peanut butter and olive sandwich and a pint of Ben & Jerry´s. He really is a saint.

I spoke only after I was half-way through my Chunky Monkey.

"Thank you, Joe for everything."

"You´re welcome" he smiled and his eyes were warm like melted chocolate.

"No, I don´t mean just for this," I gestured with my B&J`s "but for the last three years. I.."

I had to swallow the tears first, before I could continue.

" I wouldn´t have made it this far without your unwavering support and trust in me."

"You did all the work, Steph I just lent a hand here and there." He waved me off.

"But you and …"

"Terry understands and she has a lot of respect for what you did and that you sacrificed everything to capture him. She might not agree with the method but she also knows it was the only option you had and you did it with the best intentions at heart."

"The road to hell is paved with good intention." I snorted

Joe took the pint and spoon away, grabbed my hands and looked at me sternly.

"Not all was bad. Hey, we had a lot of fun, too." And with a mischievous grin he plunged right into a recollection of ´The tales of Stephanie Plum: The Bombshell Bounty Hunter`.

Joe had just finished another colorful description of a blown up car laughing his ass of, when he suddenly turned all serious.

"Give him time, Steph. He will understand. They all will." Here it comes. Well, he had told me that the last word wasn´t spoken about the final part of my plan when I laid it out to him. Only to him.

"Eventually, yes. But he will neither forgive nor forget. Not only did I break his rules, I also lied to him and hoodwinked him. I BETRAYED him. He will see everything that was between us, every look, every word, every touch and every kiss as a ploy to get what I needed. Ranger is a man of honor with a strict moral code and unshakable rules and I betrayed him."

"But as soon as he knows the truth certainly he will come around, won´t he?" Joe was close to pleading.

"He might forgive me as a fellow soldier who had to accomplish her mission at any and all costs; but he will never forgive me as friend or his woman. Under all the black clothes and badass attitude he too is nothing but a man. He let me through all those walls he had erected around his heart and loved me. Not that he ever said it this plainly mind you, but his actions always spoke louder than his words."

I got up and started to pace. Arms waving I went on.

"This morning he was kneeling there in his own secure building. His hands and feet were shackled. Guns were pointed at his head and heart. But all that couldn´t break him. He was kneeling strong and proud, his head held high like some venerable king of ancient times and then I stepped through this circle of SWAT agents and I saw him shattering before my eyes. And now there is nothing left but hate for me." Tears were running down my cheeks.

At that point Joe went all Italian on me.

"Damnit, Stephanie. You saved his men, his company, his family and his life. What the hell does he want more? You risked everything so that he and his damn company can come out of this mess unscathed."

"That´s quite enough Joe! " I roared.

"My decision is made. I´ll conclude this case and make sure that every t is crossed and every i is dotted. I´ll warp it up in shiny paper and hand it over with my resignation on top and that´s final."

"Cupcake, please. Let me bring him the package tomorrow and give him time to process all. Stay here until he cools down or let the Marshals take care of you but don´t serve him your head on a silver platter. I agree with you that he should hear the truth form you, ´cause we both know that the powers that be will tell him nothing and will hush it up. But you can´t be sure that he won´t shot first and ask later and then it´s too late."

"Oh, but I am sure."

I know that Joe understands Rangers honor code, he too works in a similar brotherhood, but I also know that he wants to protect me.

"Listen Joe, I appreciate your concerns but have you ever seen me running from the consequences of my actions?

Resigned he shook his head no.

"And I won´t start now."

I got up and hugged him tightly. I whispered in his ear.

"Go home to Terry Joe. Marry her, have a couple of kids and don´t fret about me. You have earned your Happy End.

So live it. For me, please. I love you."

What I didn´t tell him was that I will not allow Ranger to have my blood on his hands.

A/N: See, I told you nothing is like it seems at the first look. Ranger will speak up in the next Chapter…


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This Chapter is for** babe4ever52. **Yesterday I nearly lost my faith in my writing. I had 37 hits on Chapter 8 that would have meant I lost more than 80% of my readers. That was really depressing. Especially cause I am currently writing Chapter 22 where I will tell you Who did What. But when she reviewed and the counter didn´t change it became clear that FF . net has some issues. At least that's what I am telling myself. And when this morning I saw that I got 6 more reviews but only 3 hits…So I hope I haven´t lost anyone of you and the problem lies with FF . net. You know how you can proof that I am right!

Hit the link "review this chapter"

A big Thank You to all of you!

Love raven

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 9**

**Ranger´s PoV**

**October 30, 2011 2100 hours**

**Trenton, NJ**

A fortnight has gone by and I still know as much as before. Which is essentially nothing. This is driving me up the wall. Not just me, all of RangeMan. The tension is at an all-time high and the trust in each other is slowly but surely crumbling. All because of _Her_. She wiggled her way into our lives, earned our trust and respect and then she stabbed us in the back with a rusty knife, that has left a rift and I´m not sure will ever mend.

Santos still thinks there is more to this story than meets the eye and I agree but that doesn´t change the fact that _She _had betrayed us. Her name became a taboo at RangeMan and Santos had jokingly named her _She-who-must-not-be-named_. Fucking Jester.

Now I´m sitting in my dark apartment, nursing a glass of 125 years old Scottish whisky, thinking about the last 16 days and what else I could do.

After _She_ told us we were free to go we practically flew out of the room. We… I didn´t want to hear her petty excuses, now I wish I had, then I would at least know why ten RangeMan never made it back.

The Feds flew us back home and seeing that I didn´t know any of the suits who accompanied us, I didn´t asked why five of my men weren´t on the plane, I don´t trust any of them. My gut told me that this thing was bigger as it seems. I was and still am willing to bet everything I own on that. So I decided to seek for answers at other places. And I will get them.

So far I wasn´t very successful.

I ran into the first wall when we landed at the McGuire Air Force Base. This wall was named Major General Joseph Hamilton my handler before he took over thepost of the Director of USACIDC. What the hell.

He debriefed me of the occurrences in Atlanta, Boston and Miami. Not only were all offices simultaneously and in the same fashion attacked; yes we see it as attack, but there were also a total of 58 secondary targets apprehended in those cities at the same time.

There were no casualties, just two minor injuries on the "good side". Only seven killed and one suicide on the secondary targets.

The SWAT Teams were primary armed with those fast acting tranquillizers, and ordered to shot with live bullets only as last resort. He didn´t say it but I know this whole operation was _Her_ doing.

Reluctantly I have to admit that_ She_ made a fantastic job spying me out, learning from me and turning my skills against me. Maybe she even did a better one. I did a lot of black ops and regardless of how accurate the intel was and how thoroughly we planned always and I mean always there was something you couldn´t plan for; even if it was something small like a change of weather. And more often than not we had causalities. Granted most of those causalities were minor, like flesh wounds, a bystander who was sucked in by the target and some things like that. And never had I have to go against such a large number of targets especially such lethal targets without a big mess of dead bodies. I am one of the best and in twelve years of Special Forces I have only lost two men but what _She_ did went far beyond what I thought was possible. And yet_ She_ did it.

And it turns me on.

FUUUCCCCKKKKK

I hurled the glass of scotch against the wall. And the bottle straight after. Still no satisfaction. So I grabbed the next best thing, a plate with sandwiches from Ella, and it crashed right into the flat screen. That's better.

That stupid bitch.

I want to warp my hands around her creamy throat and strangle her, right after I kissed her senseless. I can´t help myself, despite all she had done a part of me still loves her and is damn proud of what she had accomplished. I sank to my knees and a tear ran down my cheek.

After what seemed like eternity I picked myself up from the floor and began to clean up the mess I made. During this mundane task I let my mind wander back to the last days.

Hamilton informed me that additionally to the five men in Trenton, three men from Miami and two from Boston were kept in custody and the rest was already released. RangeMan Atlanta missed no one.

Then he ordered me not to inquire any further about the whereabouts of those men who didn´t came back. He told me, and I quote_ `These men are no longer your concern.`_

Matter closed. Well if he thinks I´m content with that answer he better thinks again.

He also told me that the CID took over the day-to-day business of all offices as a personal favor and I would find everything in perfect order minus the things the Feds confiscated. And he gave me his word that all surveillance devices, Trojans and spying programs were removed.

I gave shit on his word and had all buildings searched from top to bottom, twice. Something I still have to apologize for because he stayed true to his word. Not only did we find nothing but the CID Agents did an exceptional good job. Everything was in perfect order, if I didn´t know it better I would swear that the work was done by my own man.

I ran into the next wall the next day. I had to go to the Pentagon because I was discharged from my government contract with all honors. While I was there I tried to discreetly inquire about what happened yesterday. Even the Pentagon has a grapevine and I have friends. But not only did nobody seem to know anything, I was soon ordered to the office of the Chief of Staff of the Army. General Laurie informed me that my inquiries are a waste of time and that I wouldn´t find the answers I seek here. In other word stop questioning or there will be consequences.

On my way back to Trenton my mother called and told me that my cousin Juan was arrested yesterday morning by the Newark PD and was never heard of again. When Constance, his wife, and McCormick, their lawyer, went to the station they were told that Juan was now in custody of the Homeland Security and they couldn´t help them. McCormick too ran into walls after that.

Sunday was spent consoling my family and brainstorming with my staff in Trenton, Boston, Atlanta and Miami, determining a course of action.

Contract workers were called in to cover the day-to-day business, FTA´s were brought in by a skeleton crew and the rest turned every stone. Every informant was questioned no matter the cost, every contact, friend, associates; we did everything imaginable.

Money was thrown, threats were made, secretaries were charmed, favors were asked and debts were cashed in but to no avail. Word on the streets was that some minions were busted but none of the big shots. The PD´s claimed no knowledge of the whereabouts of said minions. And the ABC agencies, DA`s and the military closed ranks and said nothing at all.

Even the Families are clueless.

The only thing we discovered were that Morelli had been requested for an undercover assignment by the FBI for an undefined length of time.

Coincident? I don´t think so.

And it seems that the attack on RangeMan wasn´t common knowledge. Not that I´m ungrateful for that but it was odd.

Lula told me she was taken into protective custody by request of Special Agent Plum and released around noon. Let me tell you, that woman goes straight into rhino mode as soon as _Her_ name is mentioned.

Not that I'm any different. I can´t stand to even think about _Her_ without feeling like my heart is ripped out of my chest. But I have to think about _Her_ because it seems like she is our only option to get answers.

Problem is we can´t find her. It was the same all over again. Nobody heard from her, saw her, nobody knows anything. All of her trackers went offline on Friday at 0800 hours. She didn´t use her credit card or her phone. Not that I expected it but you never know; everyone makes mistakes. I had the phones of all her friends and family bugged, but she never called. I even spoke with her parents and grandma but they too haven´t heard from her.

Yesterday I went to Randy Briggs and hired him to hack into her FBI file (I know that´s more than just gray but I´m becoming desperate) but she has none. At least none we had access to.

The ringing of my cell interrupted my musing.

The control- room.

"Talk" I barked.

"We have her."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: You guys just blew me away with your reviews! I love you all. I am crying here because you made me soooo happy with your kind and loving words. 28 reviews for one chapter is awesome! Keep them coming!**

**Like every author of fanfics, I'm a sucker for reviews because it´s all we get for hours of typing our fingers bloody and twisting our brains in knots...and I love to interact with you lot.**

**On a sidenote FF . net is kinda confused so look on the board if you don´t receive a notice…**

**Betrayal **

**Chapter 10**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 30, 2011 2131 hours**

**Somewhere**

I closed my phone and started the car, driving back to my retreat.

No turning back now.

I have started the last act.

Everything was set.

Tomorrow is All Hallows Eve, Samhain, the last night of the year in the ancient times.

The festival of death.

Talk about poetic justice.

Now I wait.

**A/N: raven hides her sorry ass in a land far far away….**

**I know it's the shortest Chapter I have ever written (wordcount 53 without header and A/N), but there was really nothing more to say. But to placate you, especially after all your support, I have posted this at 9 am CET(Central European Time) and I will post Chapter 11 at 5pm CET… so you get two Chapters in one day. And the chances are good that a lot of you will be able to read them together, seeing that the majority of you live in the US and we in Germany are min. 6 hours ahead. So PLEASE don´t skin me alive or I can´t hit the upload button later. **


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Look an hour earlier! I don´t know if I am back by 5 pm and I didn´t want to keep you waiting. So here you go. Thanks to all who read and to all who reviewed.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 11**

**Ranger´s PoV**

**October 30, 2145 hours**

**Trenton, NJ**

After I hung up on the control-room Connie called and gave me the message I already knew.

N48°49´50.048" W118°53´25.98" 3

That was all. Entering the coordinates in a search engine I nearly gaped.

Why the hell is _She _doing at an old abandoned gold mine?

What the hell has _She_ planned for us.

Curiouser and curiouser.4

We´re now sitting in conference room one conferring with Atlanta, Boston and Miami, how we are going to proceed.

"Gentlemen as of 2130 hours we finally have a location for _HER_.

It´s time to get some answers." They all cheered and I waited until the ruckus went down.

"Except for Silvio and Eric from RangeMan Miami none of you had known her like we did; but she had betrayed RangeMan as a whole, so I decided that the both of you and Adam from the Atlanta office and Jordan from Boston will come with Bobby, Lester, Manny, Ram, Hal, Cal and me.

Silvio, Eric the RangeMan Jet is already in Miami and ready to take off in 60. You will stop in Atlanta and collect Adam.

Jordan you will take the next flight from Boston to Newark, if none is available charter one, no matter the cost. As soon as all of you have arrived we´ll take off to Oroville, WA. I´ll call ahead and rent whatever cars they have. We are going to recon the area and plan our attack.

"Gentlemen, time for retribution has come."

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

3) The coordinates are real and the mine exists, but I´m taking the liberty to change things to fit my purpose. Artistic Freedom.

4) Alice´s Adventures in Wonderland


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Guys you rock! For chap 9 I got a record of 30 reviews! That´s awesome.

So this is one of my favorite Chapters, I really hope you will enjoy it. And maybe we can set a new record.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 12**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1200 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Bodie is a ghost town in Okanogan County, Washington. Once it was a blooming town of miners but falling gold prices and the Second World War left it to the elements.

At the end of the year the landscape appears rough and inhospitable. The abandoned, rotting buildings gives you the impression of emptiness, sadness and desperation. It´s like the whole area still grieves for its former occupants.

Although the sun is at the highest point, it´s almost dark. Heavy rain clouds hung deep in the sky.

It will be raining soon.

Not the light, cleansing rain; I´m talking about vicious raindrops, earthshattering thunder, crackling thunderbolts and berserk storms. It is eerily fitting for the things to come.

Sitting here alone, it seems impossible that seven billion people walk this earth; this is really the end of the world, in more than just one sense.

Oh, you ask yourself why I´m suddenly so poetic? Well your impending death has the tendency to do so.

I am sitting in the mouth of the mine, waiting for _them_. Sadly the area is much too big to have it monitored by one person alone, even with all the gadgets I could get. So I´m solely relying on my knowledge of _him_ and my ability to feel _him_. Yes, I´m sure that I will still get those tingles in the back of my neck, he might have severed our connection on his end but my love for him is as strong as ever.

I have called Connie yesterday at 2130 hours, I estimate he had received the coordinates 2 to 3 minutes later, either from Connie herself or through the bugs I ´m certain he had placed in her phone. And knowing Ranger he had our "meeting" planned with military precision ten minutes later.

His first step will be looking up the coordinates and researching the area. Maybe he even had called in a favor for satellite photos with higher-definition then Google Earth provides.

Then he will be assembling a team; Bobby and Lester for sure and Ram as sniper and two or three man more or he will bring representatives of the other branches seeing as I betrayed not only Ranger but RangeMan as a whole. It´s already past noon and nobody is here yet, so I think he will bring at least one man from the other branches. They will fly to Oroville, rent some cars, drive here and observe the area. Ram will look for a place for a clear shot on the opposite hill while the others will close in on me. Ranger on the other hand will approach me directly. Armed to teeth of course. Ranger is nothing but thorough.

Oh, I don´t think he will shot me on sight. No he´ll want answers first and he wants me to see the condemnation in his eyes. His eyes. Oh his beautiful expressive eyes. Even when his face was blank I was always able to read in those dark orbs. To my dying breath I will remember how they laughed in amusement over my antics, how they burned with rage when someone dared to lay a hand on me, and how they clouded with passion as our bodies and soul united in that one fateful night.

Thinking of the devil the tingles started.

I rose from the ground and made a few steps and then I saw him stepping out of the shadows. My Dark Knight. His black silky hair pulled back, clad in black and his gun pointing straight at my heart.

I took my gun out of the hip holster clipped to my jeans with two fingers, disabled it and threw the parts at his feet. I sank to my knees and folded my hands on my head.

"Hello Ranger"


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: You guys rock! You blew me away with your resonance and your great reviews. BTW I forgot to mention it in the last Chapter, we are starting on a ride of an emotional rollercoaster. So take a seat, fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride. We will cross the valley of despair, the loops of anger, rage and violence, the spirals of confusion and whiplashes and we even climb the mountains of forgiveness and love.**

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 13**

**Ranger´s PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1230 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

"Hello Ranger"

The woman kneeling in front of me had nothing to do with the spitfire I fell in love with. And she certainly wasn´t the ruthless Fed, who arrested me 17 days ago. This woman there was resigned, broken. Oh, she still held her head high but the fire in her beautiful blue eyes was extinguished, her untamable curls hung limp around her face, her creamy skin was gray and she had dark circles und her eyes. My heart ached. My arms trembled slightly. I wanted nothing more than to gather her in my arms and tell her that all will be okay.

_`Get a grip, Manoso; this is the woman who lied to you for ove three years. Whatever feelings she made you believe she had for you was nothing but a ploy to get what she wanted`_

Shoving my desires mercilessly aside I held my gun steady again. Lester and Bobby came up behind her, guns at the ready. I nodded to Bobby. He secured his gun and cuffed her hands behind her back and then he pulled her none too gently to her feet. Lester patted her down and when he was at her butt she rolled her eyes and growled:

"Hands off my ass, Santos." I couldn´t help it but my lips curled. Slightly.

"Call the rest, Ranger and tell Ram to come of his tree."

I raised my eyebrow in question and received an eye roll in return. Yes she knows me well.

While we waited for my men to arrive Stephanie and I engaged in a silent stare down. My eyes bore into her baby blues. That damned fool in love within me still hadn´t given up hope. He still thought that nothing was like it seemed. That there was a logical explanation for all this mess, but her once so expressive eyes were nothing but steel. She wore a blank face that even I couldn´t manage. She gave nothing away. I wanted to rip those eyes out, these weren´t the eyes of the woman I love.

I shoved the fool in love ruthlessly aside. The woman I loved never existed she was a disguise, a roll she played and I fell for it hook, line and sinker. Rage surged through me again. I was taught to respect and protect women, I have never raised a hand against one –sure in my time as a black-ops I had to kill women; but I always made sure it was a clean shot no matter what evil bitches they were- but in _Her _case I was willing to make an exception.

Hal, Cal, Manny, Adam, Jordan, Silvio, Eric and finally Ram closed the circle around Stephanie. She looked around and raised her eyebrows at me.

"Overkill much, Ranger?"

I didn´t answer. I was still struggling to get my emotions under control. It wouldn´t do to kill her without getting my questions answered first.

"Oh, for heaven´s sake, Ranger." She exclaimed. "Do you really think I would lure you into some kind of trap after I worked my ass off to bring you out of this clusterfuck unharmed?

Whatever! Follow me."

She turned and began to walk to the mine but Bobby and Cal didn´t let her through. With her back to me she said:

"Ranger you are here to get answers, so let's go inside it´s going to rain soon."

She was right, of course she was, fucking know-it-all; and that pissed me off. But it also helped me to get my head straight again and focus on my goal. I nodded to my man and we followed her into the mine.

We lit our flashlights and followed her through the tunnels until we came into a cavern.

The cavern was big enough to hold all of us comfortable. Oil lamps were lit and hung on the walls and the propane gas burner made it pleasantly warm.

In one corner lay an air matrass with a sleeping bag and three large travel bags, in the middle stood a camping table with a chair. Food, water and two coolers were stacked at the other side and a small diesel generator stood in another corner.

She went in and stood at the other end of the cavern pointing with her head to her makeshift bed.

"The bag in the middle and to your left, under the chair and table, in both coolers and behind the generator." Nodding at each location

I raised my eyebrow in question and she sighed.

"My weapons, Ranger. You don´t really believe I´ll come here with only one Glock. I´ve stepped on too many toes to be that stupid. I´m a spy for fucks sake. I´m paranoid by definition."

"How can you be sure that we aren´t here to kill you?" I challenged.

"Oh I´m sure that you want to. But I´m also sure, that you will want to hear my sordid little tale first. Besides you are only here because I wanted it and you are NOT my enemy."

She was right, of course. Everything she said and did, since we arrived here practically screamed surrender.

I nodded to Ram and Adam to collect her weapons and said to Lester:

"Uncuff her."

"Thank you" she said rubbing her wrists once she was freed.

Suddenly Ram whistled.

"That is quite an assortment, Plum."

"Why thank you Ram." She coquetted and batting her eyelashes and laid her hand over her heart. Try as I might I couldn´t hold the chuckle that was escaping my lips. Here we were 11 mercenaries ready to kill her and she still has an attitude. You can take a girl out of Jersey but obviously you can´t take Jersey out of a girl.

We all took a look and we all whistled. It really was a nice collection. From throwing stars, to knives, to various handguns, to an AK-47, to a M-200 (4) a sniper rifle. I almost expected a rocket-launcher, too. And ammo lots of ammo.

"Men" she muttered exasperated, "if you are done ogling my goods maybe we can get a little more comfortable and get down to business."

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

4 CheyTac Intervention M-200


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: You are making me one HAPPY Author with your many reviews, his, alerts and favoring! Thank you.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 14**

**Stephanie´s PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1300 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Who would have thought that my assortment of lethal weapons would be the icebreaker? The high tension died down a bit.

"Come on guys, take a seat."

Ram took the other guns from Adam and putted them into the bag. He sat down on the air matrass the bags in front of him. Adam and Jordan joint him. Hal, Cal and Manny spread out the sleeping bag and sat down.

"There is a blanket in the right bag." Bobby went and retrieved it and he, Lester, Silvio and Eric sat down.

The only one left standing were Ranger and I.

"Take the chair, Ranger. I´ll take the cooler. It´ll more likely hold me than you."

"Something to drink anyone?" I asked. I might never be a Burg housewife, but I still have some manners. They all looked at Ranger expectantly. I rolled my eyes. "I´m not going to poison you."

He gave imperceptible nod. I handed out water bottles.

I on the other hand took out the bottle of wine I saved especially for this moment.

Raising his eyebrow Ranger asked:

"Wine?"

I shrugged.

"It´s an Italian wine called Sangue di Giuda5, Blood of Judas. I thought it fitting."

"Drowning your guilt in alcohol now, Plum." Ram snarled.

I snorted.

"As if one bottle of wine would be enough for that."

Sitting down on the cooler I turned to Ranger and gestured with my hand, to ask his questions.

"What about my men?" Ranger demanded.

I sighed and rubbed the bridge of my nose. Of course he started with the one thing that is the most difficult to answer.

"They broke the law and I captured them."

"Plum" he barked and I winced. He crossed his arms in front of his massive chest and pierced me with his cold, dark eyes.

"I will tell you, I promise, but it wouldn´t make much sense to start at the end, would it? But it is what it boils down to it."

"So it´s really true, Beautiful" Lester spoke up, "I won´t believe you just used us. I mean nobody is that cold blooded. We are friends for fucks sake. I refuse to believe that everything was nothing but a ploy."

"Playing the Advocatus diaboli, Lester?" I smiled. "Don´t get your hopes up, Les. I´m nothing but a ruthless spy."

"You are not ruthless" Lester protested "I mean come on, Beautiful. Ok, you might have lied to us, and I´m not happy about it, but I´m sure you had good reasons. I won´t believe that the last three years was all show. I know you. You.."

Isn´t he cute. He still believes the best of me although I wronged them so much. I can´t let him live with his delusions, though. I got up from my cooler and went to him. Crouching in front of him I looked deep in his green eyes and said:

"You can stop right there, Lester. I´m not some tragic heroine. I deliberately looked out for you, I weaseled my way into your lives, I used you, I spied on you and I manipulated you. I cost Ranger a fortune. I got him shot. Got a lot of you injured.

Yes, I do love you but I would have stopped at nothing to reach my goal.

Legit reasons or not. Hell I even killed to protect my cover."

"Alpha and Cone was in self-defense." He argued. Poor boy still wouldn´t understand. But Ranger did.

"Abbruzzi" he whispered.

I didn´t turn around to him but I gave him a sharp nod.

Bobby spoke for the first time since Quantico.

"But I thought it was…" he trailed of not sure what to say.

"Ranger? Morelli? " I looked Bobby in the eyes.

"I had you all believe what I wanted you to believe. Joe thought I was knocked out cold from the pain pills he believed I´ve taken. In truth I´ve just pretended. What a better alibi to have then a cop. I slipped a sedative into his beer when we were at his house. As soon as he was out cold I left all my trackers behind, slipped out, went to get my back up car. And no, no one of you knew about it and hunted Abbruzzi down. And yes Bobby, Ranger was there but Abbruzzi was already dead when he arrived."

"So it was what? A sanctioned kill?" Ranger asked.

I shrugged.

"I didn´t leave them much of a choice. Either they accept my actions or risking 12 months of undercover work for a crazy bastard."

"Why?" Ranger whispered.

"Abbruzzi was lunatic and he wouldn´t have stopped."

He wanted to interrupt but I held my hand up. I know what he wanted to know.

"You had already done enough for me and I couldn´t let you kill for me, too. Besides it would have been an excuse for them speed up your arrest. At that time I couldn´t risk it and let them interfere. The stakes were too high."

I could see the question in his eyes and the puzzled faces of the Merry Men. My answer to Rangers question only served to make them more confused.

"Maybe it´s best I start at the beginning. What I´m going to tell you is confidential. I need an oath from all of you to never repeat anything what is said in here."

"Want it written in blood, too?" Ram snarled.

"Don`t temp me, Walter." I snarled back in the same tone. Seems like Ram is not a happy camper. I locked eyes with him, silently telling him to knock it off. This whole situation is as fucked up as it gets and I don´t need his bitching, no matter how much I deserve it. Eventually he lowered his eyes.

"Please don´t interrupt me you can grill me all you want when I´m done."

* * *

><p>4 Chey Tac M-200 Intervention.<p>

5 The wine is real and it´s excellent. I love it.

**Tomorrow we are starting with The Spys Tale**.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: The beginning of Stephanie´s story. And do not jump to conclusions. Thank You for the many hits and reviews, alerts and favoring. Could we, by any chance, make the 200 review mark today?

**WARNING!**

**I will briefly touch the subject of child molestation at the end of the chapter! ****NOT Graphic!**** But if even the mentioning might trigger unpleasant memories and flashbacks STOP reading after the sentence: **

_**I was already in Quantico when they captured the unsub.**_

**You will not miss anything vital by skipping! **

**Further should I mention that the subjects of murder, torture and rape are also touched. **

**NOT TOO Graphic!**

**If you are a survivor of rape and torture and momentarily in an emotionally unstable condition, ****SKIP**** this chapter altogether. Send me a PM and I will give you a synopsis of this chapter.**

**I am speaking from experience and have you best interests at heart. **

**I myself am a survivor of child molestation and rape and torture. After TEN years of therapy, which is still continuing, I can freely write and talk and read about those subjects. **

**But it´s not the case for others, so HEED my advice!**

**I want you to enjoy Betrayal and not provoke a traumatic episode!**

**If you have any questions feel free to ask via PM!**

**WARNING END**

* * *

><p><strong>Betrayal<strong>

**Chapter 15**

**A Spy´s Tale**

**or**

**The Life of Stephanie Plum**

**Act One**

**And so it began**

I was born as Stephanie Michelle Plum on October 12, 1978 in Chambersburg, Trenton. I grew up like every other girl with lessons in etiquette, home ec, ballet, ballroom dancing, piano and singing classes and all the other bullshit a proper future Burg housewife should know. It didn´t went that well. Oh, I did learn it, but only until I found a way out, like setting the pot roast on fire, stepping on the feet of my dance partners or causing general ruckus. Eventually my mother gave up on me and left me to my own devices. I was always the girl wanted to be Wonder Woman or at least Nancy Drew, jumping from a roof trying to fly. You know all the stories.

I was a freshman at Douglass when a series of ambushes on young women started. At first they were only robbed. The police asked around and patrolled more but they were pretty much clueless. After a few weeks the first woman was raped and then another and another.

The police thought there were two culprits because the ambushes never stopped and none of the raped women were robbed. They haven´t found DNA on the victims or any other remarkable traces. They investigated some more but nothing really progressed. Only telling us not to go out after dark alone. And although my spidey sense tingled and I was intrigued by this "puzzle" I was also afraid. Then the first victim died. The man who raped her was so brutal that he ruptured her uterus, she bleed to death. Her name was Leah Thompson and she was my roommate and friend.

After her death I was no longer afraid, I was furious. Furious how such a lovely and friendly person could be killed in such a barbaric way and no one did anything. I started to nose around. I found out from the first victims that the detective in charge of the rapes practically blamed the victims. He was a first-rate chauvinist claiming that women belong in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant and not in colleges and if this women dared to go out and dress like sluts, well it´s their own fault.

I don´t have to tell you it made me even more furious and I redoubled my efforts. I was soon sure that the robber and the rapist had to be same one. I found out that all of the women resembled each other in two points. They all had long straight hair and brown eyes, but only the ones whose hair was black were raped. Furthermore all victims described the attacker of medium height and of small build, in all cases he wore black leather clothes and a ski mask and leather gloves and he never spoke. The M.O. too was the same in both cases. The attacker came up from behind threaten them with a knife, pulled them in a dark corner and either grabbed their purses and then stunned them with a stun gun or stunned them first and raped them. The first of the rape victims was willing to talk to me. She woke during the rape and before he could stun her again she noticed two things: the attacker talked to himself in a foreign language during the rape and while she didn´t understood him he had an unusually high voice for a man and he kneeled beside her using the knife handle to rape her.

The day after I talked to her and one and a half weeks after Leah´s death, another woman was found dead and this time she was stabbed multiple times. I came to the conclusion that the unsub was either impotent or a woman and he or she was escalating fast. I made a geographic profile and a profile on the unsub. I even went so far and had my hair straightened and dyed black and wore brown contact lenses. I got a gun, a stun gun and pepper spray and walked across the campus at night trying unsuccessfully to lure him or her out.

Finally the PD admitted that they have a problem and called the FBI in. A team of the Behavioral Analysis Unit took over and when the Agents Read and Williams came to question me about Leah I told them of my investigation and show them my work.

Of course they weren´t very happy with me at first but at my insistence Agent Read humored me. And he was impressed.

That was the beginning. Read and Williams grilled me for hours.

What I did.

How I did it.

What questions I asked.

Why I asked them.

To what conclusions I came.

How I came to it.

Why I came to that conclusion and not some other.

And a thousand other things.

They had Brown, Carver, Gear and Stone; the other members of the team, made the profile of the unsub and compared the both and they matched in most points. That impressed them even more. The investigation went on without me, because Read talked the FBI Director and he offered me a job.

I was already in Quantico when they captured the unsub.

I was right that it was a woman fellow student whose mother died shortly after the Fall Semester began. Apparently the mother sexual abused her daughter since her birth and despite all that she loved her mother dearly. Her death left her desperate financially and emotionally. She robbed the women to pay her bills but then one of her victims had black, long hair like her mother and she flipped trying to compensate her feelings of loss by doing the same things with her victims that her mother did to her. But soon it wasn´t enough anymore and she became more vicious unintentionally killing Leah and so it went on until she was stopped.

* * *

><p>AN: Most times when we hear about child molestation the aggressor is male and it´s true that most sexual assaults are done by men. ( In my case it was a man) But women can be just as vicious albeit in a more subtle way. Where man often satisfy their need for dominance, power and sexual prowess in that way of abuse/sexual abuse, women compensate feelings of worthlessness and being unloved that way.

Women mostly aren´t as aggressive as men; but using a combination of guild, expectations, care and withdrawal of love to satisfy their needs.

There are myriads of other ways and reasons for man and women to become an abuser but the result is all the same. They are chaining their children with their screwed idea of love to them. Ending a life before it was even lived. And I don´t mean by physical death. Oftentimes these women and men came from a long history of abuse themselves, but that no excuse.

So do me favour, please. Should you know/find out/suspect about a case of abuse especially child abuse DO NOT TURN THE OTHER WAY because it´s easier. We are all the children have. You might save a LIFE.

THANK YOU

BEA


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: THANK YOU SO MUCH! You guys are incredible. Today's Chapter isn´t as difficult as yesterday´s. If you have questions about me or anything at all send me a pm.**

**Love raven**

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 16**

**A Spy´s Tale**

**or**

**The Life of Stephanie Plum**

**Act Two**

**The early years**

Before I proceed I have to tell you a little bit of the institution I work for.

The FBI has a so call Black Unit. It is a convergence of people with different backgrounds and talents and with different missions. The usual conditions to become a FBI Agent don´t apply. One part of the Black Unit is the long term information procurement. In short espionage. Sometimes we work in teams, sometimes alone and sometimes both. We operate outside the usual pecking order with sometimes unconventional methods or allies. We have free rein on how we operate and great resources. I can´t go very much into detail about the workings of it, but I will tell you my part in this unit.

Normally when an Agent has the order to go undercover he has to create a vita and he has to adept pretty fast to his new life. He is required to deliver results pretty soon. Meaning he has to rise in the hierarchy pretty fast and undertaking great risks.

Although undercover agents can be utilized in a wide range of fields they also almost never can infiltrate close knitted groups like family businesses for a longer period of time until they become dispensable.

That's where we come in. We don´t create a vita we live a normal life with a dark secret so to speak. We are almost never placed directly in the business of our objective or if only in an unsuspicious position. A maintenance worker, cleaner something like that. Mostly we´re placed in comfortable positions at business associates with minimal contact to the real targets. And then we accumulate information. We spy. Bugging phones and rooms, breaking into houses and offices, we surveil, we seduce but mostly we wait. Weaving our webs and laying traps until we are ready to strike.

It´s not an easy life. We walk a fine line between our real personas and the one we portray and it´s easy to lose one self. The requirements to become a Black Agent are tough: you have to be single with no kids and no desire to change that; mental stability, adaptability, power of deduction, quick thinking, a talent for improvisation, acting, stealth, endurance and ruthlessness.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

They tested, questioned and evaluated me physically and psychologically for days and the only thing Read told me that he may have a job for me. On my eighth day in Quantico Read accompanied me to the FBI Director. Obviously they were impressed with my test results and offered me a special job. A job in which I can continue my college education and live an almost normal life; but could play an important role for the FBI. Although they were very vague they also made it sound very interesting and I signed my contract. Only then they told me about The Black Unit. From that day onwards I lived a double life.

It was decided that my spy training would occur around my college schedule. In doing so we established my cover.

I received a full stipendium from a private organization so that I could quit my side job. I was ordered to keep my grades average not exceptionally good or bad; and to drop all classes which are unnecessary for my business degree.

Agent Read became one of my mentors. He was responsible for my theoretical education and he taught me everything about human behavior.

My physical training was very similar to yours; actually I was trained by two soldiers. And let me tell you they didn´t go easy on me. Every morning one of them dragged my sorry ass out of bed and had me running 10 miles and every evening they taught me martial art, mostly Krav Maga, but also Ju-Jitsu and Wing Chun.

They taught me how to use every weapon known to mankind; even sword fighting. Whenever I had a few days of free time or in the Semester breaks they had special projects for me. Things like survival camps, staged assassinations, hostage rescue well I´m sure you know it all.

But the most valuable lessons I learned from the Spymaster 5 , he taught me everything about the high art of spying. I have sworn to never reveal his identity so don´t even think about asking about him.

I will never forget his first words to me.

_"Your surviving spy must be a man of outstanding intellect but with the outer appearance of a fool, of shabby looks, but with an iron will. He must be energetic, resistant, strong and courageous: well used to all sorts of dirty work, able to bear hunger and cold and willing to pile shame and disgrace on himself."__6_

And then he purred in the most threatening voice I ever heard.

_I will rip you apart little girl. Your body, your mind, your heart and your soul. I will forge you in the hottest fires with the strongest hammers. And when you think you can´t endure it anymore, I will redouble my efforts. If you cannot do this get out now, because once we have started there is no turning back. But if you rise to the challenge I will put you back together, teach you to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses and even to put a stopper in death.__"7 _

And he did as he promised.

The first thing he taught me was:

_It is not so important who starts the game, but who it ends._8

The second was:

_So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss._

_If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose._

_If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.__9_

At first my lessons were purely theoretically. Mostly we talked; about me, my childhood, my friends, life in general, he gave me books to read and had me analyzing everything.

What? When? Where? Why? How? What could have been done different? With what result? And so on. He taught me to think. To really think. Not thinking based on your upbringing and your own experiences but from other points of view. Thinking in- and outside the box, to get into the head of another person. And he taught me to trust my instincts and senses.

Then he taught me to build a mind palace. It is a method to store and hide information and to build up convincing identities without losing your real you. To withstand physical, emotional and psychological torture. And even to destroy my mind so to speak should the need ever arise.

That was quickly followed by acting classes, controlling your body reactions and awareness.

Only after all of that became a part of me he taught me how to spy. Extracting information form people by asking the right questions and to listen. Using nice little gadgets. Getting in and out of places and collecting information without leaving a trace and to cover my actions. He taught me to blend in and to adept to every situation. He taught me to read people and to manipulate them.

He introduced me into the art of seduction and love.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

"Oh, don´t look so shocked." I addressed the outraged looks of my guest. And I´m pretty sure I heard a slight growl from Ranger.

"Sex is a legitimate device to get what you want. It´s used by everyone, even the conservative Burg housewives. The Spymaster and I spent a lot of time together, we trusted each other. He was the first one to really know and accepted me. I was always hungry for knowledge, but I had to learn early on that this kind of behavior is inappropriate for a woman.

The Burg still lives in the middle ages. A woman had to marry young, pop out babies, care for her husband, house and children and to shut up.

He fed my hunger. And he gave me the choice to either practice what he taught me with strangers or with him. We were friends, there were no secrets between us, I liked him a lot and I trusted him so I chose him."

_´And the fact that he was very attractive for his age didn´t hurt, either.´_ I thought, but I know better than to say it aloud.

"But enough of that now let me continue with my tale." Although I was not in love with my mentor he will always hold a special place in my heart.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

The most important thing he taught me was that: _A spy was always alone._

He taught me to have always your own backup plans.

In my last year I was send on short missions with various partners. They never took longer than a week and I had different orders. Sometimes I had to distract someone, break in somewhere, observe, analyze evidence, be backup, one time I had to stage the death of a witness and bring the witness to a save house. They tested my effectiveness and my limits. So far I had exceeded their expectations.

After four years of intensive training and a business degree I returned to Trenton for my first mission.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

5 Spymaster is homage to Kayly Silverstorms When a Lioness Fights- wonderful HG/SS story and a great inspiration and I highly encourage you to read it.

6+9 A quote from Sun Tzu's The Art of War

7 Harry Potter and the Philosopher´s Stone. The part about bewitching the mind is the famous -First class of the Year speech-from the infamous Potion Master Severus Snape. I can´t help myself HP was the first fandom I wrote for and sometimes I have to pay tribute. Besides I always had a thing for dark, dangerous men.

8 A quote from John Wooden


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thank You for all your support! Once again a short one, I´m sorry but tomorrows Chapter will be really long.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 16**

**A Spy´s Tale**

**or**

**The Life of Stephanie Plum**

**Act Three**

**The First Mission**

Three months before my graduation I received the intel for my first real assignment. Again I´m not allowed telling you any details. White-collar crime, mostly. The target was in New York and I was given a list of associated businesses. I applied for a job, at those, which seem the most promising to gather information and was finally hired at E.´s as a lingerie buyer. I was actually lucky to get that job. I have had to go to New York regularly to our main manufacturer and therefore time to snoop around the target without raising suspicion.

Like I told you the Spies of the Black Unit are designated for long-term observation so my life went on pretty normal. I was born and raised in Trenton, went to a local college and came back like a good daughter and worked for a local business, my cover was firmly established.

Then after three months later luck stroke again. I met Richard Orr while I had to represent , who was ill, on a social function. He was one of the lawyers of the target; well more an office-boy with a law degree but ambitious. He was perfect for me, low enough in the pecking order to not to raise suspicion, but high enough to hear this and that and pompous enough to brag about his employers to get my attention. He actually gave me a lot of ammunition without even knowing it and an excuse to come even more often to NY.

My mother was absolutely delighted that her second daughter, the one she had given upon hope, actually caught the attention of a respectable man and a lawyer to boot. I let her bully me into marrying him although I knew he couldn´t keep it in his pants. My supervisor was delighted with that progress of course, although it meant I wasn´t as free as before. Before I was engaged and lived with Orr. I went to Quantico for a weekend once a month to train and report covering it with a monthly trip to Point Pleasant. So eight months after meeting Orr I had the horrible traditional Burg wedding.

We spent our honeymoon coincidently at Myrtle Beach, where coincidently the target had a vacation home. Orr spent the most time of those five days either drunk or drugged- courtesy by the FBI- so I had time to bug the targets house and gather intel from the locals about the target.

The 231 days of marriage to `The Dick` wasn´t that horrible, after I made it clear that under no circumstances I will be a mother with 24, he wasn´t any longer interested in my conjugal duties. What a relief. On day 227 Orr was fired and therefore of no longer use to me. Our house was of course wired for audio and video, so I only had to wait until he takes one of his women to our bed while I was at work. Fortunately I had not to wait long. Four days later he banged Barnhardt on the dinner table and coincidently I came home earlier.

The following screaming match and the bonfire in the front-lawn were actually pretty funny.

From that day onwards things went on like before, which was a lot less stressful. And five and a half years later I had enough evidence to close the case. Unlike in your case, I was not in on the apprehensions because that's the normal procedure. We work behind the scenes.

E.E. Martin was closed and I played the sacked innocent employee, I went on a vacation which was really my debriefing. I went back to Trenton after that, with orders to keep a low profile and to wait for new orders.

On July 20th 2008 I received the fateful phone call.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: So after the shortes Chapter last week now finally the longest. We are getting to the good stuff, how Steph came in contact with Ranger and the MM. I want a review from each and everyone of you.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 18**

**A Spy´s Tale**

**or**

**The Life of Stephanie Plum**

**The Final Act**

**Betrayal**

**Part 1**

In 2006, you had just started RangeMan, a woman was shot in Miami. Her husband eventually confessed and said he had the gun from a Latino who called himself Sombra8. The Detective who questioned him was the same one who arrested you in 1997 after you stole a car. He remembered that Sombra was your street name once and asked the sub to describe the guy who sold him the gun. His description matched you but after showing the sub your mug-shot he said it wasn´t you. Nevertheless the Detective pulled up your files and confirmed that it couldn´t be you because you were in Iraq at that time.

Five similar crimes happen between May 2006 and January 2008. Two homicides and a robbery in Miami; an attempt murder and a robbery in Boston. There might have been more, but in these cases the culprits were caught and all said the same thing: They brought the guns from a guy named Sombra who matched your description, but not your photo. And on all occasions when they brought the guns you were either out of the country, at Fort Benning or in another town; thus they never had a reason to bring you in for questioning. In January 2008 a man was killed in a hit and run in Miami and he bore a remarkable resemblance to you. In his car were two unregistered guns and in his flat they found a note-book with entries of guns sold for the crimes I mentioned. He was Sombra. Furthermore photos of you were found and bills from a plastic surgeon in Mexico for a facial reconstruction paid from an offshore account which belonged to an Adam Rico Sonor. Which is a really bad anagram for Ricardo Manoso.

By that time the FBI took over. They found really badly hidden evidence that said you were selling guns. Accounts with anagrams of your name Ranger or of members of your family and of Lester's, Bobby´s, Tank´s, Ram´s, Silvio´s and others of your employees. But everything we found was so badly hidden and partly bogus that it practically screamed set up. Even Albert Kloughn would have been able to get the charges, filed on that, dropped in minutes.

So they focused the investigation on people who might want to harm you. Business rivals, enviers you made in the army, enemies you possibly made as a black-ops, ex-lovers with a grudge, etc. They barely started when the tables turned again.

In January 2008 an FBI agent was killed in the line of duty. His death was a coincident which leads us here today. He was normal field agent in Atlanta and had nothing to do with the investigation against you; so imagine the surprise when they found audio recordings of phone calls between the two of you, discussing the progress of the investigation against you.

Now, before you go off, like nuclear bomb, hear me out, please.

The voice on the tapes was analyzed and were matched with a recording of one of your lectures from the SWAT training you did for the Bureau; they came back as an 71.8 percent match to your voice. The forensic audio expert explained the lack of a hundred percent match due to the lack of a compassionate sample - which would normally be recorded using certain keywords and phrases and without background noises – and because the tapes from the agent were seemingly in a very poor quality. Alas the 71.8 percent positive match was enough to bring the focus back to you.

The question however was how to proceed. The Status Quo was, a highly decorated Army Ranger who is also a successful businessman on the one hand and wild assumptions, which didn´t add up, and questionable evidence on the other. No judge would issue a search warrant for any of your property, may it private or business; or even a warrant to bring you in for questioning. Besides it would have been a waste of time as you wouldn´t have said anything anyway and your lawyer would have ripped the reasons for the warrant into pieces before you even set a foot into an interrogation room. And it would have tipped you off in case you were indeed guilty.

Normal observation techniques, like bugging your phone, tailing you or your employees was no option, seeing as you were a security specialist and would have caught on before an observation team even could set up shop. So the case was given to the Black Unit more precisely to the Spy department.

Fortunately we had already two Spies placed in Trenton. Me of course, and my partner, who had just recently arrived, too back me up or extract me should anything go wrong with the New York case. They gave my partner your case, because I was knee deep into finalizing my own. That was in March 2008.

Farmer called on July 20th , 2008 at 9 am and ordered me to meet with my partner. You know her as Jeanne Ellen Burrows.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

I held my hand up to silence Ranger. As soon as I said Jeanne´s name his temper flared. Another person in his life betrayed him. Although they weren´t nearly as close as he and I, they worked together, occasionally. And working together in this business means trusting the other to have your back. He sat ramrod straight, he clenched his teeth so hard that I was surprised they weren´t pulverized, his fists balled so tight that the knuckles turned white despite his dark complexion and his eyes were mere slits. And I´m pretty sure he stopped breathing. That doesn´t bode well and even more so for the real betrayal, if we make it that far, that is. I looked at the others and they too didn´t fare much better. But I couldn´t really blame them. I was well on my way to destroy everything they believed in for years. Lucky me. I have to take a gamble if I want to make it to the part that really matters.

Ignoring the others I got up from my cooler and kneeled in front of Ranger. I made sure not to touch him. I lowered my head and let my hair fall around my face, offering him my bare neck. I am doing it again. I am manipulating him. This is a position of complete submission. Essentially I am offering him to take my life. Right here, right now. Without going too deep into comparative psychology, I am triggering his primal instincts. Despite all the masks I had worn I´m not a woman who submits and deep down on a subconscious level Ranger knows this. Where Ranger is the Alpha-male, I´m the Alpha- female. I will even go so far and say that I´m his mate. I know Ranger still loves me under all the anger and rage and hurt I caused him and that's what I´m betting on. I hope seeing me in this position will calm him down so far, that he is able to listen again.

It felt like hours kneeling there like that, when finally his hand brushed my neck. His fingertips barely touched my skin, but it was enough. I raised my head and looked at him. With a tiny nod of his head he acknowledged my actions and with a raised eyebrow he told me I´m crazy. Well, nothing new there. I smirked and went back to my cooler. Just then I acknowledged the others again. Eric, Jordan and Adam, who never saw Ranger and me interact, wore looks of astonishment, while the rest looked embarrassed and adverted their eyes. I can only imagine what it must have looked like. And I was glad for their momentary distraction, I just wanted to get on with my story and not answer the bazillion questions they surely have.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

Like I said I met with Jeanne Ellen and she filled me in on your case and her assignment to get so close to you to extract information out of you and your associates. She told me about her research on you and how she approached you.

Obviously she wasn´t very successful. She didn´t even made it to your bed. And let me tell you that still pisses her off. Especially after all the mental preparation she had to do.

That last statement earned me another raised eyebrow from Ranger and I couldn´t help it but I burst out laughing. And that in turn made his eyebrow almost disappear into his hairline.

"I´m sorry, but I thought you knew. You are the most observant man I know, Ranger. We thought you had seen through her or at least noticed that something was fishy with her. Jeanne prefers women over men in her private life. So whenever she actually has to sleep with a man in the line of duty she has to lock away her real personality much more tightly when we all already do. " I could see that Ranger, Lester and Bobby understood what I meant but the others were pretty much clueless so I explained further.

"We spies learn during our training to lock away huge parts of our own personality in order to assimilate a new one, without losing ourselves. The physical things are the easiest things to suppress or to learn and to maintain. Like the way you walk and talk or physical handicaps like a limp. That is actually not that difficult, is a lot like acting only on a permanent basis. More difficult are mindsets, to change your worldview so to speak, and portray it convincingly, especially over extended periods of time. You really have to believe it. It´s not easy but as soon as you have the hang of it you can slip in and out other personas like in and out of your favorite shirt. But to willingly change your sexual orientation, especially with the level of awareness we have of ourselves is really hard. Oh, it´s easy to flirt a little, kissing or even to have a halfway decent one night stand but to seduce someone in order to build up a relationship, even a casual one, is an entire different thing. The difficult part is not to convince your mind of the person of your non-preferred gender but your body.

You see sexual orientation is nothing we can consciously choose. I won´t go as far as to say it´s genetically but I think we were born with a preference. Be it men, women or both or in Vinnie´s case ducks."

This got me laughs even from Adam and Jordan. Apparently the sexcapades of my cousin are common knowledge at RangeMan´s.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

Back to the topic, after Jeanne´s plan to form a professional or personal relationship failed she pleaded with our boss to get me on board before they extract her and form another plan.

You see, Jeanne and I were recruited at almost the same time and when we started our "practical" year they brought us together seeing as we were the only females at that time. And although she and I are polar opposites in the physical department, we hit right off from the first minute.

We share a similar history and being the only women in a male domain bonded us. Don´t make the mistake to think that man and woman are regarded as equal. Even the clerisy Black Unit tends to underestimate women. Which is not necessarily a bad thing.

Nevertheless, she briefed me about your case and asked me what I would do now. To be honest I had no idea at first. As I told you we had not that much and what we had had was confusing at best and total rubbish at worst and personal information about you beyond your name was practically non-existent. With that what she had to work with I would have made the same approach she did. So I asked for a few days off to do my own research and to come up with a plan.

Under the pretense of job interviews in New York, I went to Boston, Miami and Atlanta and observed the workings of your company. From your files I knew that you wanted to start a branch office of RangeMan in Trenton and that you worked as BEA for my cousin Vinnie. I wanted to see how your offices worked without coming into contact with you. You were on a mission at that time so it was pretty save for me, besides I mostly kept my distance and was in disguise. My last destination was Miami and so far I only found out that RangeMan provided security for shops, offices and homes, redecorations, bodyguards and fugitive apprehensions. Your company operated 24/7 in 3 shifts with 2 man teams. Your staff consisted of only males except housekeeper which were either family members or family friends. I estimated it would be the same in Trenton. No way for me to get near you in that way.

The only two things I could find out about you personally Ranger was that you are feared and awed. I already knew as much. So I tried a different route in Miami. I researched properties which were for Sale and formerly protected by RangeMan. Took me two days to find something suitable.

I contacted the realtor Mrs. Bennett and played a newly divorced woman who is trying to escape her rich, abusive ex-husband which she relieved off half of his assets. I feigned interest in the house and a special interest into a good security. I told her some cock and bull story about my ex and as luck would have it, she promptly suggested RangeMan LLC.; praising your competence and your services. And after a few choice questions she eagerly gave me a complete account of the more obvious amenities.

Ranger did you knew that there is a contest going on whoever is able to catch your eye?

Oh, and that you all are compared to each other? Seem like Les here is highly sought after…

Whatever. Based on this crumbs of intel I had, I had my plan for a first contact with you. I went back to Trenton and gave Jeanne my O.K. to try it.

I continued to live my life as Stephanie Plum fired lingerie buyer. Through the Burg grapevine and my family I knew Vinnie looked for a file clerk, I just waited until I looked desperate enough for everyone to consider working for that slime ball of cousin. As a file clerk for Vinnie, I would be close enough to get information about you but also distant enough to fly under the radar. Or so I thought.

I swear to be hired as bounty hunter and getting Morelli`s file and Connie arranging for us to meet, Ranger, was pure coincident. Well, I`m nothing if not adaptable and since the whole competent bounty hunter thing didn´t work with Jeanne I thought I´m going to do the complete opposite. And it worked, didn´t it?

Right, so Connie set up a meeting with us and don´t ask me how or why, Ranger but as soon as I saw you I knew you were innocent. And after you rescued me from my shower rod without hitting on me or making some derogatory comments, my mind was set to proof your innocence.

Before you even ask, of course I could have freed myself. Even without lock picking skills, shower rods aren´t designed to support a human body, but I wanted to see what you would do and I had to protect my role.

After the whole thing with Morelli and Jimmy Alpha was solved – which, by the way I still can´t believe you all took as luck that I hit Alpha five times in the heart, through my purse no less- I went back to Quantico for a few days. I had my pinky toe to in your door and I was dead set to solve your case. It was high time that I took charge.

I needed as much information about you as I could get so I demanded complete access to your military records and those of your employees. While the Black Unit has much more liberties than other Law Enforcement Agencies, military files are still off limits for us, especially those of Black ops. Fortunately for me my Boss and the Secretary of Defense were old childhood friends and I got my wish. Furthermore the Directors of the CID, NCIS and later the AFOSI where informed about the ongoing investigation and ordered to full cooperation. They were instructed to ignore any accusation against one of you, should they ever arise and to immediately inform my boss, any course of action would be determine through the Black Unit.

That being taken care of I needed to set up my base. Unlike the New York assignment I needed a much different support system. For the New York job I just needed one location to store my equipment and my findings and only one car whenever I couldn´t use my own.

Going up against you was an entirely different matter altogether. After I read your file I really really wanted to forfeit. You are the best Ranger. Seriously. But I was determined to solve your case and proof your innocence. In order to archive this I had to be smarter, stealthier, cannier, slier, more cunning and more ruthless than you.

I had the Black Unit set me up three hideouts, one in Trenton, one in Newark and one in Philadelphia. At each location I had two different cars and a motorcycle. In addition to those I had a permanent contact in Trenton. I estimated the more we would come in contact with each other, Ranger, the more I would be observed by you, so I couldn´t risk blowing my cover with regular trips to Virginia.

You remember Mrs. Bestler, the elevator lady? She was my contact. And she is far from the slightly loony woman she portrayed; she is actually the first female spy of the Black Unit. We rented the apartment above mine for her and set it up as my base.

I stored all the equipment I needed regularly there: guns, ammo, listening devices, clothes, make-up, wigs for disguises and all my other little spy gadgets. We set up a few sport equipment's: a stationary bike, a set of small barbells, an ab-trainer; things that wouldn´t look too out of place in the home of an older lady. I need to be a the top of my game.

For the first few months one of her three sons, aka my mentors, would stop by every day to look after her. Well, I desperately needed to brush up on my combat skills and I got an intensive course in Rangers and Special Forces tactics and so on, in order to learn your thinking pattern. Let me tell you in the first five months I existed solely on caffeine and sugar and a maximum of four hours of sleep. It was not funny becoming Ranger v2.0 while establishing Stephanie Plum-the-woman-who-is-just-to-stubborn-to-give-up-a-job-she-absolutly-sucks-at-but-has-a-98 percent-capture-rate.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

I got a few chuckles for my self-description. But now I´m at crossroads. Should I bring my other permanent contact, namely Joe Morelli, up now or later?

And naturally Ranger picked up on my split second of hesitation.

"What is it, babe?"

Gulp…


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: I am pretty busy the weekend so I might not be able to respond to your reviews as quickly as usual. I want to spend the free time I have on writing chapters 27 and 28. But please DO NOT stop reviewing. Your support keeps me going! Especially when a chapter doesn´t behave….

I have finally seen OftM and overall I have seen much worse book adaptions but Daniel Sunjata as Ranger? Nothing against Sunjata but NAH. The Rock would have been sooooo much better! He has the body, the eyebrow and the 1000 watt smile! And the voice! And the Badass Attitude!

And haven´t they heard about colored lenses? Steph with brown eyes, really. Although I didn´t like the cast for Grandma, Vinnie and Lula that much either at least I can live with it. But Sunjata as Ranger is a big No Go!

And I REALLY missed the Professor Higgins line….

Enough ranted. Enjoy. And THANK YOU!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 19**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1649hours**

**Bodie,WA**

I have no idea if I should laugh, cry or simply pass out. If there ever was a time for a drink it was now**. **But I need my wits about me; I suspect the worst is yet to come. After all, I know who didn´t came back to RangeMan.

But, god, what she had told me until now, is unbelievable. I will need days if not weeks to really process it. And yes, although she is a Master manipulator, I believe every word she said. There is something in her, a fire, a passion that was missing in her all these years. I can´t really describe it. Oh, I always suspected there was more in her than meets the eye. I caught glimpses of that missing part here and there over the years and blamed the lack of it on the browbeating of her mother, Morelli and the Burg busybodies. And now it´s full-fledged on.

And what a glorious sight it is.

Gone was the broken woman who greeted us a few hours before. Gone was the insecure, chaotic little girl I met more than three years ago. From the moment we stepped in the cavern she became a Queen. She stood straighter; her head held a little bit higher; her movements exactly measured, not too much, not too little but exactly right and her eyes gleamed in the most piercing blue I have ever seen. She wore herself with such a confidence I have never seen on her before. And when she spoke her voice captivate me. It was still the same but totally different altogether. A timbre which spoke of brilliance and wisdom. But the most astonishing thing was her aura. There was still this…this light which had me always drawn to her but now there was also a lethal menace. And I will be damned but it leaves me hard as a rock.

The beast within me, which roared for retribution, has retreated and lies low for the moment. From the moment she faced me in my home, revealing her true self, her fate was sealed. Death was the only possible verdict for her betrayal on me and my men; regardless of my love for her. Death by my hands. Now I am not so sure anymore. Too much of what happened over the years didn´t add up to the picture she is trying to paint off herself now. It´s not so much of what she says but what she not says.

And then there was this stunt she pulled offering me her neck. It was close call the beast was almost out of his cage. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw her bowing her head. I have no doubt she knew exactly what she was doing. But why will she sacrifice her life to still my bloodlust. I mean inviting us here to give me an explanation is one thing. I thought she did it because of whatever that was between us and that she still had some sense of honor. Sure she surrendered and gave up her weapons, but with her training she still had a fighting chance. A small one true, but a chance nonetheless. But that was pure self-sacrificing her to make ME feel better. See it doesn´t make sense.

Behind my blank face I was either dropping my jaw and shaking my head, berating myself for things I missed –_Way to be aware of your surroundings Manoso –_ or hauling with laughter. her contact, never ever in a million years I would have suspected that!

The gods damn that woman. Every single time I think I've finally understood her; she does or says something that catapults me straight back to square one.

It started the day I met her. When she came into the Diner I thought she was the average Jersey Girl looking for an adventure to break the monotony of her life before she settled down. Taking a glimpse into the darker side of life; playing with the big boys.

When Connie called and called in the favor I owed her, I thought I would humor this Stephanie person, take her with me a day or two and then send her back to her white picket fence life.

Boy was I ever wrong.

The moment she stepped through the door she had me hooked. It was not that she was exceptional beautiful, nice enough to look at sure, but no movie star beauty. And she was certainly not my usual prey. But she had this light shining from her I still can´t really describe it but it drew me to her.

Then there was her determination. Apart from her incredible instincts and her unbelievable luck; she sucked as a bounty-hunter when you look at her skills and methods or lack thereof. But she always got her man! Half the time she was either afraid to death or happily living in denial but she was just too stubborn to give up. You could throw at her what you want, be it garbage or bullets, stalkers or exploding cars she didn´t gave up.

But on the other hand she let her mother walk all over her.

And this love-hate relationship with Morelli.

Now she had more or less declared that the Stephanie Plum, I became to know was a deception. But she also said that Black Unit spies live a normal life with a dark secret.

And I won´t even think about why she did what she did. Not until I know why Tank, Rodriguez, Benny, Zip, Ceasar, Gomez, Snake Eyes, Nick, Cord and Paul were arrested.

And why the hell did she call me here. She could have written a fucking letter and hide her ass from me. She must have known that my feelings towards her will be less than unfriendly.

I am getting a whiplash trying to figure her out.

I listened and watched her closely when she started to recount her last mission. Trying to figure her out. And only because of that I caught the slight hesitation. She was unsure of something. Either if she should tell me or not or she is unsure of my reaction.

"What is it, babe?" Fuck, I´ve slipped.

Get a grip, Manoso.

She swallowed.

This can´t mean anything good.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Thank You All you are AWESOME! So this was fun to write! Enjoy!

**Warning**

**This chapter is a bit angsty!**

**And read until the end!**

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 20**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1649hours**

**Bodie,WA**

For the first time Stephanie adverted her eyes.

Whatever was going to come had written Fubar all over it.

With a deep sigh she said:

"Jeanne and Mrs. Bestler were not my only contacts. I had another one. A more active one."

Oh no no no. It can´t be.

"Who?" I asked toneless.

"Joe"

Before my brain caught up with me I was out of my seat, across the cavern and had Plum lifted up by her lapels.

Nose to nose with her I growled:

"Joe? As in Joe Morelli?"

That stupid chit just raised her eyebrows.

"Had a good laugh at me? Fucking him while leading me around by my dick and ripping my life apart?" Shaking her with every word and suddenly there were lights out.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

**Lester´s PoV**

Beautiful said the fucking cops name and a second later Ranger wrenched her up against him.

Holy fucking shit. Never in all the thirty-four years of knowing my cousin Carlos, have I ever seen him so out of sorts. It speaks volumes that he lets his emotions run away with him like that, screaming –well, screaming for Carlos anyway- at Steph. This is going south fast. Carlos is a hair´s breadth way from snapping and killing Steph without even thinking about it.

Fuck what just happened?

One minute I was leaping to my feet - I wasn´t the only one- and in the next Ranger went down like a ton of bricks.

Before I had even a chance to process what happened, Steph had one knee on his back and had his gun drawn and pointing at us.

"FREEZE" she cried.

From the corner of my eyes I saw my brother´s hands move to their guns. Why do I have a feeling that´s a bad idea.

"Hands where I can see them." Steph snarled and pressed the gun to Rangers temple.

Gulp.

Very bad idea, indeed. Sometimes I hate it when I´m right.

Never have I seen Stephanie look so terrifying. Her eyes were colder than ice, her brows furrowed and canines barred. And I think she even growled. She emanated menace out of every pore.

I´m not sure but I might have pissed my pants.

I´m sure I wasn´t the only one feeling a little bit creeped out.

Minutes ticked by and no one dared to move.

I barely dared to breathe.

Steph was still hunched over Rangers motionless body never taking her eyes off us, but now she lightly strokes the side of his neck.

Ah, so she hit him on the bundle of nerves under the ear, taking him down with minimal effort and damage.

Clever.

It´s a really disturbing picture. With one hand she pressed the barrel of Rangers own gun to his head and with the other she caressed the spot where she had hit him, lovingly.

While I stood here waiting for whatever she waited for, I let my mind wander over the things she told us. Not that I really grasped it mind you, but Beautiful is really something else. And I must admit I am awed. Never have I expected her to be a black ops spy. Sweet, innocent Stephanie a spy for chrissake. Before my musing could go any further Ranger emitted a small groan.

I saw him blinking furiously, trying to clear the cobwebs and a second later freezing. I´m not sure he froze because of the gun or the caress.

It was deathly silent in the cavern.

Everyone waited.

What was going to happen between Ranger and Steph?

I tensed ready to strike.

As much as I love Beautiful but my loyalty lies with RangeMan.

Steph leaned forward and whispered loud enough for us to hear in his ear.

"I am not The Bombshell Bounty Hunter. I will not tolerate being manhandled. Not by you. Not by anyone. Did I made myself clear?"

Silence.

"Did I?" she barked.

Bloody Hell. That was the tone of my Drill Sergeant. I snapped to attention and cried

"Ma´am, yes, Ma´am" Thank god I wasn´t the only one, that would have been embarrassing; but everyone except Ranger said and did the same.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

**Ranger´s PoV**

Fuck! That woman took me down. With one hit she took me down. I can´t believe it. That has never happened before.

I blinked clearing the cobwebs from my brain and take stock of the situation. I´m lying on the ground on my stomach. Peebles pricked in my left cheek. A knee, her knee pressed into my right kidney. Her hand stroke the spot where she had hit me.

Goosebumps ran down my spine.

God, I´m such a wimp.

I´m still lusting after her although she never wanted me.

She and that dumbfucking sorry excuse for a man…I froze. There was the barrel of a gun on my temple, most certainly my own gun.

I´m sooo fucked.

We outnumbered her eleven to one but we were checkmate. My men would never risk my life. Not because of her.

The silence stretched.

Then, in a tone I never heard from her before, she stated.

"I am not The Bombshell Bounty Hunter. I will not tolerate being manhandled. Not by you. Not by anyone. Did I make myself clear?"

Gulp.

"Did I?"

Fuck! Who the hell is this woman? And where the hell had she learned to sound like my old Drill Sergeant?

"Ma´am, yes, Ma´am" my men thundered. I was too occupied to figure out the Woman of Mystery on my back to answer.

Big mistake. She pressed the gun harder into my temple and growled

"Did I make myself clear, Ranger?"

"Crystal" I grunted out.

Like a flash the weight on my back was gone and I heard my man drawing their guns. I did the same, getting my backup gun from the ankle-holster, as I picked myself up from the ground.

She stood at the same spot where I had grabbed her. Arms, with my gun still in hand, hanging loosely by her sides, completely unfazed by the eleven guns pointed at her. She let her eyes wander over us and then she slowly, deliberately raised one single eyebrow.

Fuck.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Without further ado. Enjoy!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 21**

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1718hours**

**Bodie,WA**

They are afraid of me.

Good.

Was about time they realize that I´m not the woman they once knew.

But seriously, eleven guns? And I´ve not even have mine raised. That´s ridiculous.

I looked at all of them and raised just one eyebrow. Slowly. See, I can do that too.

I let Rangers Glock twirl around my index finger and offered it to him, handle first. He took it and sheathed it in his tight holster. He kept the Sig in his hand however, but lowered it. The others lowered their guns too. Keeping them also in their hands.

"As I was saying" I broke the heavy silence, "before I was so rudely interrupted. I decided to bring Joe on board when he first started to woo me." I saw Ranger tense up again and the muscle in his jaw jump.

_´Oh please´_ I thought _`Not again`_ and couldn´t suppress an eye roll. Honestly I am fed up with these constant interruptions. I want to finish this sometimes this century. Ranger is the most controlled, levelheaded and patient man I ever met, but suddenly he is acting like, well me. Well like the Bombshell Bounty Hunter part of me. Jumping to conclusions and flying of the handle over the most unimportant things. Maybe I can shock him back into his usual self.

"For heaven's sake, Manoso, get a grip! Show some of that control you are so famous for. Or must I take you down again."

O.K that has been a bad idea, cause again I found myself nose to nose with an very angry Ranger. Only this time his hand was around my throat. He shoved me against the wall behind me and snaking a leg between mine. His gun pressed on my temple.

Checkmate.

"Don´t push it, Plum." Low, menacing.

"How often have you laughed about me after you fucked him." Squeezing my throat tighter and pushing me more firmly into the wall behind me.

"Tell me, how often you have laughed about idiot Carlos. Giving you cars and men to destroy. Trusting you with my life. Giving you my heart. While you fucked HIM" he roared.

Is he for real?

I have expected to die today. I´m not stupid. I knew exactly what I was doing.

To die because I lied and spied on him and cost him a fortune. To die because I didn´t went to him when I found out that the real traitor was his best friend. To die because I let him believe I placed a job above our relationship.

But jealousy?

Jealousy and wounded pride?

Everything else aside Joe was my "boyfriend" for all he knew. Ranger never laid a claim on me. Hell, he even sends me back to Joe after he fucked me. Oh, I know why he did it. And although it played right in my cards at that time; I could not build a serious relationship or heaven forbid marriage with him, because that might have undermined my integrity with the FBI and validity of the case, it did not hurt less.

It hurt like a bitch to be send by the man I love to another man after the only time I allowed myself to be my real self.

That night I was just Stephanie, not Stephanie the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, not Stephanie the FBI Agent and Black Unit Spy, just Stephanie the woman in love with Carlos.

Well he is in for a surprise.

"Never" I rasped out. Oxygen is going to be a problem soon. He doesn´t believe me. I could see it in his eyes. _´It´s now or never Plum.´_

"I have never slept with Joe. Except when I was sixteen." My eyesight is becoming blurry. I´m running out of time.

"I have only slept with one man in the last eight years."

Darkness.

And then suddenly…

Heaven.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

**Rangers PoV**

I saw the truth in her eyes.

A dying man never lies.

I let my gun drop and released her throat. Gathering her face in my hands I kissed her with all that I am.

She didn´t respond.

Damnit.

I bit down on her lip. Hard.

She grasped and I took the opportunity and plunged my tongue in her mouth and finally she kissed me back with equal favor. Someone moaned. I think it was me. Snaking my arms around her neck and back, devouring her whole. The world around us disappeared.

Ok, so kissing her was stupid on my part. There is still so much to resolve, but God help me, her confession had me floored. Some primal part within me just had to claim her.

I´m surprised we both were still fully clothed.

And I will be damned, but it feels so right. Now I can only hope I don´t have to kill her at the end of the day, after all.

What could be minutes, hours, years later I reluctantly end the kiss. Panting heavily I leaned my forehead against hers and opened my eyes.

What I saw in her eyes was like a sucker punch in the gut. Pain. A pain I have never seen in anybody's eyes before. Why is there pain when I just poured my soul into her? She lifted a hand to my cheek and whispered,

"Ranger…Carlos, you should hear the whole tale first before you make any kind of decision."

With a defeated sighed she transformed in front of my eyes into the woman who had arrested me two weeks ago.

Ice cold and unapproachable. I could not suppress the shiver that ran down my spine.

She let go of my cheek and stepped around me.

This woman is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.10

But I will solve this puzzle. Even if it´s the last thing I do.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

**Stephs PoV**

_Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck _

"Joe was my cover.

_´Stupid, stupid, stupid Stephanie. Kissing him like that. What did you think?´_

About four months into case Joe started to seriously pursue me and I only had two options.

_`You didn´t that's the problem.`_

Either shunt him real loud and publically, like a re-run of the Buick incident or get him on board.

_`But god help me it felt so good to be kissed by him.` _

The opportunity to have an in into the TPD and a watertight alibi whenever I need it was just too good to pass upon. So after we solved Uncle Mo case I filled him in.

_´Get a grip on yourself, Plum. You knew when you took that job it would not end well. No use to cry over spilled milk.`_

He was then called to Quantico under the pretense of a Joint Task Force and was briefed.

_´But doesn´t make it any easier.`_

Well it was more like that he was threatened with Hell and Damnation by my boss and mentors than a briefing but well…

_´Oh, quit whining. There is no Happy Ever After for you. Not when all is said and done. You knew it from the start and you knew it when you fell in love with him.´_

We had to make sure my cover was foolproof.

_`No Happy End for the Traitor Spy.´ _

My life was on the line and depended on his ability to play his role convincingly."

_´Now focus on the goal. Tell them the truth they wouldn´t get from anyone else but you; and then let them go without your blood on their hands.´_

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

**Rangers PoV**

While I listened with half an ear how she explained Morelli´s involvement to my men, I caught a look from her and suddenly all the bits in pieces that didn´t fit before fell in to place; and revealed a picture that was so outrageous in its simplicity and yet so ingenious that I would never have guessed it if I hadn´t caught that look. I wanted to fall to my knees and bow before her.

She had never betrayed me.

She had protected me.

* * *

><p>10 A quote from Winston Churchill made on a radio boardcast in October 1939<p>

"I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest."


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Anyone seen the Cena/Rock standoff on Raw? Holy Hot Damn!

Today's chapter is for all of you who read Betrayal every day and don´t have time to review.

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 22**

**A Spy´s Tale**

**or**

**The Life of Stephanie Plum**

**The Final Act**

**Betrayal**

**Part 2**

The first fourteen months were extremely frustrating for me.

I found nothing that connected you with the gun deals and the money.

Our data-analysts found more of those bogus accounts with a deposit of a few thousand dollars. All transactions made were under $ 1000011 to fly under the radar. But all accounts added together we came to quite a figure, just under a million dollar.

Problem was I had no idea where the money came from. Every deposition was made in cash and was made to long ago to get a video footage. And don´t even ask about eyewitnesses. Either they couldn´t remember or they described everyone and their brother. Let´s be honest none of you guys is easy to forget.

Once a deposition was made the account was dead. The money just lay there and waited to be found. At least that was what I suspected.

So following the money was a dead-end. And when money is a dead-end, it is usually a set up.

The only question was did you made the set up or were you set up.

My gut told me it was the later, but sadly my superiors gave me shit about my gut, because they wanted cold, hard facts.

I did everything in the book to find something that would point me in one direction or another.

I started to tail you, Ranger and those you met with. Whenever you went _in the wind_ for government business I knew about it. I knew everything. What. Where. Who. Why. How.

I received your reports and a copy of the debriefing.

Whenever you went in the wind on RangeMan business I had you tailed.

I don´t have to tell you that we came up empty handed.

I went through your past with a fine toothed comb, repeatedly.

Nothing stood out.

I did the same with you Bobby and you Lester and Tank of course.

I went forwards, backwards and sideways through the whole of RangeMan.

I found not a single thing that connected RangeMan with anything illegal.

Eight months into the investigation you were arrested for carrying conceal by Gaspick and went FTA. When Vinnie told me that I wanted to strangle you, and then Connie told me you were additionally wanted for questioning concerning the death of Homer Ramos, I was ready to commit murder.

It was just the thing `The powers that be` needed. I had already the order to bring you in on my desk when I got home. They were sure that as soon as they had you and confronted you with the "evidence" you would break. Yeah, right. You withstood torture of Columbian drug lords and Nigerian war lords and whatnot but they thought they could break you. Dunderheads.

It took some serious convincing to stop them.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

"Babe?" Here we go again. I cannot string two sentences together without being interrupted.

"Ranger?" I can do those annoying one word sentences, where you always have guess what he means, too. By now I can probably write a dictionary; Ranger-English, English-Ranger.

"How did you convince them to leave me alone?" Who says you can´t teach an old dog new tricks.

"Let´s just say everyone has the one or other skeleton in the closet. And not everyone is very meticulous to keep them hidden."

"Blackmail, Babe?" I could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Nah, I prefer to call it a friendly reminder that the Spy in charge determines the course of action."

That got me an outright laugh from Ranger.

"Babe"

"Okay I have to admit the guy, my team leader, I had to…remind, was new in the Black Unit. He hadn´t fully grasped at that time that we handle things a bit differently in the B.U. We don´t play by the usual rules, we play by our own. But he learned that, fast. From then on I reported solely to Director of the B.U."

"I always knew you came from a long line of scary women, Babe." Was that pride I saw in his eyes?

"You have no idea, Ranger. No idea at all." I gave him my most threatening smile and with satisfaction I saw him shiver.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

After this mess was sorted out I was nearly at my wits end. Short of breaking into your offices and the apartment you had on Hamilton there was not much more I could do. And breaking in was something I would rather not do, at least at that time.

So I changed my approach. Since trailing the money directly didn´t work I changed my perspective. I concentrated on criminal activity in Trenton, Boston, Miami and Atlanta and the surrounding area, the money had to come from somewhere. I got access to the files of the PD´s, FBI, ATF and DEA. I looked for a heightening of activity, change of players and arrival of new ones. Again nothing.

I even spied on the Families here and in New York. Looking for something anything that would lead me to you or whoever was behind it. Nothing, nada, nichts. Well, nothing that would help ME. But I got a bunch of intel for my colleagues.

"Da steh ich nun, ich armer Tor! und bin so klug als wie zuvor."12

And then Julie was kidnapped. In some perverted kind of way without her being kidnapped, I might have never figured it out.

As soon as I knew about the kidnapping of your daughter, I set every available men of the B.U. on the hunt for her in addition to the normal FBI. And after I gave them Scrogs name and they retraced his movements they we were successful. Albeit not in finding Julie, but in finding out the real culprit. The man who was behind everything.

Ranger, you remember how Scrog demanded my presence? When I drove to the rendezvous point I received a text message.

Dupree & Scrog in cahoots.

Dupree instigator of the

kidnapping

Scrog unstable

Dupree wants kid dead

Plan A cancelled Omega on

BEWARE

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

An inhuman roar sounded through the cave.

* * *

><p>11 In Germany the Banks don´t report transfers of less than 10000 Euro to the taxes. I have no idea if it's the same in the States, so for the Storys sake we will assume it's the same.<p>

12 I am German and it would be a sacrilege for me to translate one of the greatest German poets in a story. For those who aren´t familiar with German poetry, the quote was from Faust from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

And here, poor fool, I stand once more

No wiser when I was before (transl. from dict dot cc by Walter Arndt)

* * *

><p>AN: In Betrayal Tanks real name is Pierre Dupree just so you won´t get too confused will I continue calling him Tank. But occasionally I will also refer to him as Dupree.

On another note, I have already groveled at Tanks feet and begged for forgiveness for making him the bad guy. He says he understands and isn´t mad at me. He also says it makes perfect sense to turn the best friend and right hand man of Ranger evil, after all the story is called **Betrayal**.

And I have promised him to be exceptionally nice to him in all stories I´m going to write in the future! I´m rather fond of the big guy.


	23. Chapter 23

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 23**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1836 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

A red haze clouded my eyes and I knew no more.

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 1837hours**

**Bodie,WA**

I hit the deck and a second later I heard a crash. Unfortunately I was standing next to Ranger when I let the bomb drop and when he sprang up he blocked the only exit.

I ducked my head and crawled backwards until I brushed by a pair of black clad legs. I glanced up.

Bobby was quaking in his boot, literally. Great from the frying pan…

Lester, Hal, Cal and Manny were so wound tight; it was just a matter of seconds until they too snap.

…into the fire.

I crawled on until I connected with the back wall.

My fighting skills are in no way inferior to theirs, but in that kind of mood they are right now, I am no match unarmed. There was just one thing to do; cover my ass and wait until the storm is over.

It seems like I am not the only one who came to this conclusion. Adam, Jordan, Eric, Silvio and Ram came crawling to my little corner, huddling around me. In my peripheral vision I saw Ranger lifting the generator over his head and a second later I was cover by a large body and my head was cradled in strong hands. I heard a dull thud.

"You alright, Bomber?" Ram whispered in my ear.

I gaped, I couldn´t help it. Just moments prior he was still sending me dark looks that made grown men piss their pants and now he is protecting me with his life.

"You´re not mad anymore?" I always like Ram a lot. Right after the Core-Team (with the notable exception of Tank) he was my favorite Merry Men. I have often wished that I hadn´t had to pretend that I hate guns; or Ram and I could have had a hell lot of fun shooting the shit out of paper man.

Instead of an answer he kissed me smack dab on the lips and said.

"Just so you know I will be calling you to the mats when we get back home."

"And just so you know" I replied, "I will even let you get a punch in, before I will wipe the floor with you."

"Deal" And just like that he was my friend again. Men.

"Guys, shouldn´t we stop them?" whispered Silvio from my left. I took a look around and I must say it was impressive. The generator looked a bit rough around the edges, but luckily the fuel tank survived. Ranger must still be lucid enough to realize that´s a bad idea to completely destroy it with a propane gas burner running. The chair and the table though were beyond saving, the same goes for the coolers, the almost full wine bottle was broken, the red fluid seeping into the earth and now they were fighting each other with a vengeance.

"Nah, let them get it out of their system." I said. "Else they might never be able to trust each other again." I felt and saw them nodding in understanding.

I know it sounds strange; but the four of them Ranger, Bobby, Lester and Tank were closer than brothers. They walked through the hell holes of the world relying on each other to keep you save, to keep you sane, to keep you alive even on the brink of death. I know what they went through on their Black Ops missions, there was not one single thing they wouldn´t and hadn´t done for each other and Tanks betrayal had torn wounds I fear are too deep to ever heal completely. Fighting without killing each other; although each and every one of them has the ability to do so, is their method to bond again. And who am I to deny them. I won´t say all will be good but it´s a start.

The same goes for Hal, Cal and Manny. The Trenton RangeMan always was an especially close knit group. That makes me wonder about Ram, who had thankfully moved off of me and now crouches to my right.

"Ram why aren´t you with them?"

"Well" he drawled "what do you think? Choosing between fighting with a bunch of guys or cuddling up with a beautiful woman. Tough decision."

The nerve of that man. Here I was unhinging his world and he is joking around with me.

"Ram!"

"Sorry, Bomber. But honestly I have no idea what to think at the moment. It´s all a bit much. I always loved you like a little sister and I was really hurt. I still am. And I was dead set on to never forgive you no matter your reasons. But now with Tank wanting Jules dead…and I really fear what else is coming, I am…I´ve no idea what to think. Other than I might have been a bit hasty with my judgment. So I will give you the benefit of doubt and protect you until I know the whole truth and had time to process it."

Wow.

"I second that" Said Silvio and Eric, Jordan and Adam agreed.

"And I always preferred to shoot the shit out of paper man than to hand to hand combat." Ram shrugged.

"By the way I was serious about calling you to the mats." I could only nod I was still rendered speechless.

While I was mulling over what Ram said, Ranger was double teamed by Les and Bobby and he just landed a vicious kick on Bobby´s shoulder while blocking a punch from Lester. And Hal, Cal and Manny doing their damnest tearing each other apart.

I turned to Ram and looking him in the eyes I said in dead earnest,

"Should I come out of this mess alive, I will gladly accept every call to the mats."

Matter closed. I turned back to the men in front of me, watching them bond again in that strange way of theirs. Ranger had one hand around Lester´s and one around Bobby´s throat. The other three were at a similar impasse.

And as suddenly as the storm started it was over.

I got up and went around them, looking for a few bottles of water which survived the storm.

I found a few in a corner, gathered them and passed them to the guys. Without a word I went to one of my bags and retrieved two towels and a first aid kid.

"You have to share. I only have those two." I told them. Passing over the towels I continued.

"Ram, Eric, Silvio, Adam, Jordan can you tidy up a bit?"

Only now Ranger and the others seem to come aware of their surroundings and saw their handiwork. I heard the sharp intake of breath and suddenly they spoke all at once.

"Babe…"

"Bomber…"

"Steph…"

"Angel…"

"Beautiful…"

"Shit. Babe, I´m so sorry."

I held up my hand and they immediately fell silent.

"Shh, it´s ok I understand. Sit down and let me patch you up. And while I am doing that I will finish my tale. And no more interruptions, please. It was already a long day and I want it to be over."

And we did just that. The guys sat down on the remnants of the air-mattress and the blanket and I went to work. Adam and Jordan offered their help but I waved them away. It was a task I wanted to do myself. I may not be able to heal their emotional wounds but I can at least heal their bodies. So I went on ripping new emotional wounds while I dabbed lacerations and bandage bruised knuckles.

* * *

><p>AN: Ram ran all over me and demanded to have is say and because I rather like him…

Tomorrow you will read the last part of the Spy´s Tale. I´m such a sucker for your reviews keep them coming in masses….


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: That´s it. The Chapter with lots of answers! I want reviews! Tons of reviews! Reviews from everyone who put me and Betrayal on alert and favorite. And from the 500 other readers. !

A big Thank you to **AtlantaBabe** for ironing out my mistakes in this and all coming chapters. All mistakes you may find are mine and mine alone, cause I took the liberty to add a few things just now. And once again to **Margaret Fowler** who read this first and said Holy Shit….love you guys.

And at last a little warning this chapter is…Sick…the dark side of mankind…

* * *

><p><strong>Betrayal<strong>

**Chapter 24**

**A Spy´s Tale**

**or**

**The Life of Stephanie Plum**

**The Final Act**

**Betrayal**

**Part 3**

**Recap End of Chapter 22: **

_Ranger, you remember how Scrog demanded my presence? When I drove to the rendezvous point I received a text message._

_Dupree & Scrog in cahoots._

_Dupree instigator of the _

_kidnapping_

_Scrog unstable_

_Dupree wants kid dead_

_Plan A canceled Omega on_

_BEWARE_

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

When I received that text message, I had no time to respond to ask for further intel on Tank.

When Scrog demanded my presences we formed a plan for extraction Bombshell style. We planned that I would free Julie and myself in the dead of the night, explaining it with my usual uncanny luck and killing of Scrog in the process. The how was up to me.

That was off.

Plan Omega meant get the hostage out, keep the captor alive for questioning, if that is not possible get as much information as you can and Keep Your Cover. Wouldn´t do to slip up and endanger the whole operation should Scrog escape and informs the suspect.

So basically I went in blind, deaf and stupid trying to keep everyone alive and played it by ear. Not one of my better ideas.

I will regret it until the day I die that I followed this order. Sure I spared Jules to have a bomb strapped to her chest but I couldn´t spare her seeing her father getting shot nor could I spare her killing a man.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

_`I will never forgive myself for that´_ I thought. Staring at Carlos bruised hand, lost in the memory seeing Carlos fall to the ground and that brave girl lifting the gun and shooting Scrog. It was the only time I gave shit about my duties and my cover. I was out of my mind with worry. All my training didn´t prepared me for seeing the love of my life dying and his daughter saving our lives.

It should have been me.

I was lucky that Joe was there or I might have done something inexcusable. On that day, I vowed to myself to only play by my own rules and to get Carlos out of Tanks vendetta unharmed, no matter the cost.

A thump brushed over my cheek and called me back to reality. Ranger apparently had wiped the tears away I didn´t know I had shed. He looked deep into my eyes and I swear he saw straight into my soul and saw the pain.

Softly oh so softly he kissed me and whispered against my lips

"It´s ok, Babe. Go on."

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

Right. I am sure you want to know how we pinned Tank. I only found that out after Scrog was dead. Ranger you remember the pictures we found in Scrogs apartment of you and Julie. As you know they were taken three weeks before Julie was abducted. And the photos weren´t made by Scrog. They were made by Tank.

He shadowed you like usual that weekend and took the pictures. A week later he had the weekend off and went down to Richmond. There he met with Scrog on Belle Isle and gave him the photos and instructions. By pure dumb luck a camera team of a local TV station was on Belle Isle shooting a feature about the Isle. One of our computer geeks is from Richmond and he too was on Belle Isle with his family said weekend, when he saw the photo of Scrog he remembered him and another guy and he remembered the camera team. So he pulled up the feature the local sender aired and we were once again lucky.

The camera team stood at an angle that they recorded Tank talking with Scrog in the background. We are all trained in lip reading and we were able to translate a good part of their conversation. I have committed it to memory.

Scrog: …Carmen…nosy…

Tank: … get rid of her….give you the real Babe …photos, schedule, everything is in the file for both…

Scrog: …a new life…with Babe and Julie

Tank: …was the one to … like Manoso…do as I say…

Scrog: …I want the kid …

From the last part of the conversation we got a really good shot.

Tank: …she has to die…you want to have your Babe, don´t you. Babe doesn´t want kids. She won´t go with you as long as Julie is there. Manoso was never man enough, so he never had his Babe. She always went back to the cop. And you want to be a better Ranger for her, won´t you?

Scrog: .Yes.

Tank: Good you know what you have to do.

Scrog: Yes. I will grab the kid after school and bring her to Trenton. Then I will demand that my Babe comes to me and she will come, because she will do everything for the faux Ranger. Then when she is with me I´ll make her realize that I am the real Ranger. I will get rid of the girl and we will start a new life.

Tank: Good. I will make sure that Manoso is occupied.

We can thank whatever deity who looked out for us that Scrog was not the mindless follower he made Tank believe but rather pursued his own goals. Scrog wanted to see you dead. In his twisted mind he couldn´t be the real Ranger as long as you were alive.

Tank on the other hand had a completely different goal.

He didn´t want to see you dead. That was far too easy for him. He wanted to see you suffer, like he did. You see, Tank made you responsible for the death of the love of his life.

In 2004, while stationed in Afghanistan, your Rangers squad consisted of you, Tank, Les, Bobby, Ram, and Spike. I won´t go into detail because most of you aren´t cleared for that, but Tank met a woman where your base was set. He fell deeply in love with her and she with him. He even looked for a way to get her to the US after his stint there was over. He wanted to marry her. He hadn´t told any of you because he feared your mockery. At that time you lot were in your early 20's. Young, healthy, Black Ops; the best in the world at what you do and hungry for adventure, thriving on the thrill of the hunt be it Taliban or women.

Tank always looked up to you, Ranger. He admired your skills in combat, your natural talent for leadership, your confidence, your presence that demanded respect and loyalty, your devotion for your Country and your call of duty, your way with women and he feared your reaction. None of you were ready to settle down, at that time. You had just given up your parental rights of Julie before you shipped out. Let´s be honest, you lot screwed everything that wasn´t up the trees by three and Ranger he feared your rejection. He feared that he would sever the bond of brotherhood. He loved you and he would have gladly died for you, but he also loved that woman, so he kept quiet for the time being trying to find a way to have you both.

I will not say I understand his screwed male logic but I understand his fear of loss. You are a very devoted man, Ranger, and once one had earned your respect and trust it is a hard thing to let go of, especially for Tank. The Army or more precisely the Rangers, was his first experience of family after a life shipped from one foster home to another.

Until that very day, when the village near your base was attacked by radicals, for being US friendly. She was there that day and she got caught in the crossfire and died. And supposedly it was your bullet that pierced her heart.

~I held my finger to his lips to stop the question he wanted to ask. I have tell the tale in the right order, to make sense.~

After that day, Tank wasn´t the same anymore.

I am speculating here because Tank had not yet been evaluated by a psychiatrist by the time I quit; but based on my profile of him, after the death of Elif he became the full-blown psychopath that lurked within him. A highly intelligent one, with an excellent education, to boot. Not a good combination. Not good at all.

After I knew Tank was behind it the case practically solved itself. Like a knitted scarf, as soon as one thread was loose, the whole fabric unraveled.

Okay it wasn´t that easy. It involved sleepless nights, hours upon hours of surveillance, mounds of paperwork, some creative thinking to tap the phones and computers of security experts. You gave our tech geeks a run for their money, it sure was a challenge breaking into houses and whatnot. But I had finally something to work with, rather than blundering around in the dark. And whenever I could do so without raising suspicion, I crossed his plans.

To nail Tanks ass down I once again went over his military records including all missions focusing on his psych-evaluations, I got my hands on his juvie records – I know they are sealed but well, we aren´t the Black Unit for nothing- his foster records and I started to profile him. Working out the time-line when why what happened and how it affected him.

I made a moving profile as best as I could. I reanalyzed the case with him as the culprit. While rereading the missions' report of Afghanistan 2004 my spidey sense tingled. Listening to my instinct, I followed that route and I hit gold.

In late 2004 Tank was diagnosed with a light case of PTSD. Nothing unusual for a Soldier, who just came back from a war zone but what made me curious was that every other evaluation before and after 2004 came back negative. You lot received intensive psychological training to cope with every kind of conceivable shit. So I thought it a bit odd that this six month stint in Afghanistan where nothing extraordinary happened resulted in a case of PTSD.

I once again followed the money but this time I concentrated on when the money was disposed. Not four months after you came home the first deposit was made and finally I found the origin of the money. Elif Mamoude was one name of a holder of one account. Mamoude was the maiden name of Tanks biologically mother. The money came from Elif´s family or rather -as we later found out- al-Qaeda.

It was quite a tangled web they had woven. And a dangerous one. The once liberal family of the girl turned into radical Muslims, who hated the Western World with passion, united in anguish with a desperate Special Forces Soldier.

I will not bore you right now with too many details.

Part of the money to fund this operation, if you will, came from various crimes Tank additionally committed apart from treason. Gun-running, drug and human-trafficking, money laundering and attempted mass murder. To achieve his goals he needed allies on US soil and so he looked around at RangeMan. Over the years he found men who weren´t as loyal or as fond of you, Ranger or RangeMan in general, as they pretended to be. Or they were simply hot for the money Tank promised them.

Rodriguez, Benny, Zip, Caesar, Gomez, Snake Eyes, Nick, Cord, and Paul. Their reasons to join Tank were as manifold as they were bigoted, in my humble opinion. Jealousy, envy, revenge, greed, hurt pride take your pick.

In case of your cousin Juan, it was combination of those but I think jealousy was the main factor. He always envied the way you were treated by your family. The renegade teen turned elite soldier turned successful businessman was treated with higher regard than the man who never stepped out of line and was no lesser successful. He used his import-export trade to smuggle weapons, explosives, drugs and women. He used the car dealership of your family to launder part of the money he gained. He always saw you as nothing but a thug in expensive clothes, a murder for hire. It played right in Tank´s cards.

You see, Tanks plan wasn´t to kill you, not physically at least. Although his plans changed continuously due to my interference, the gist of it remained the same. He deliberately helped you build up RangeMan into one of the best security companies in the land and waited until you found someone you …you cared about and then he wanted to take everything in one coup de main. Your friends, your family, your business, your freedom, and your love. On October 15, 2011 he planned to strike a final time. The day you were discharged from the Army. He planned to blow up Haywood simultaneously with all your other offices in front of your very eyes, when you rounded the corner, with me and most of your staff in it. Tank wanted to see the breaking of your heart. He wanted to make you feel his pain.

The following investigation would have made you, your parents, Bobby and Lester the guilty party in his stead. And al-Qaeda would have had a field day. At first it would appear they had successfully launched the biggest attack on American ground since 9/11 and on the soldiers which were deeply involved in the wars against Afghanistan and the Iraq, no less. An act of vengeance for the death of their leader. But then evidence would prove that they were conspiring with you. It would appear as if you had finally seen the errors of you ways and acknowledged Allah as the one and only god. And to atone for your sins against Allah you sacrificed all you had. A brilliant plan sick but brilliant. Can you imagine what it would have meant for America politically and psychologically? I shudder to think about it.

I gained knowledge of his plan about a month prior. Took me two weeks to plan and organize your takedown. The stakes were astronomical high and there was no room of errors.

But I had one advantage I knew his plan and how he operated.

The buildings of Boston, Trenton, Atlanta and Miami were packed with Semtex. He installed two detonators. One was a time fuze activated from Tanks computer with a 5 minute time delay. That's the reason I installed a program into your security system that overrode your emergency protocol. And the bombs could also be activated via phone call. That's why we cut off not only the power but also shut down all cell towers in and around Boston, Trenton, Atlanta and Miami. I took no chances. The houses of you families were clean and observed the hitman set on Rachel, Ron, Julie and her siblings was taken out before he came even near them. The wives, kids and girlfriends of Tank, Rodriguez, Gomez, Cord and Paul were taken into protective custody.

I arrested you all on the RICO charges to lull Tank into a false sense of security. Letting him believe I found the crimes "you" committed until I had him separated from you in Quantico.

But the real tragedy is….

Suddenly a light flared up. My alert should someone enter the mine, a simple photoelectric barrier that would activate a lamp via radio. Someone found my retreat.

Oh Fuck.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Thanks for the great reviews!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 25**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2000 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Never in my life have I seen someone move so fast. In one moment, she was kneeling in front of Hal, tending to the bruises on his arm and in the next, she was standing at the entrance of the cavern, using Hal´s gun she fired two shots into the darkness. We all leapt to our feet, drawing our guns but Steph raised her fist, silently telling us to stop. Without thought we obeyed. Authority settled around her like a cloak.

"Reveal yourself or the next bullet won´t miss." Her voice was cold as ice and hard as steel.

I didn´t think that I could still be surprised today, not after what I just learned, but obviously was proven wrong once again by the next words.

"Geez Cupcake, hasn't anybody ever taught you that `you mustn´t shoot your allies´?" Joe Morelli screamed.

I moved slowly next to her, catching her eye and raised my eyebrow in question. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Shove it Morelli. Who's with you?" she screamed back.

"All changed" said an unknown voice

"Changed utterly" said another.

"A terrible beauty is born"13 a third, strangely familiar voice finished the quote from Yeats. Yeah I know Yeats I´m not a complete philistine.

"Oh great, the three Musketeers and a rat." Steph muttered under her breath. ´What was that supposed to mean?` Louder she said,

"Come on out, and no funny business. After all, you taught me to shoot first and ask questions later. I won't hesitate to do so."

She stepped back a few paces and my men and I followed her. It was clear that she was in charge and for now, I will let her remain in charge.

She stood there her face expressionless. She looked like she was carved from marble as she continued to point Hal´s gun steadily at the entrance. But I could see the tension in her. The way her shoulders were set and the small crinkles she gets around her eyes whenever she was apprehensive. Whatever was going to come thru the entrance wasn´t anything good. I gave my men a small sign with my hand behind my back, which meant Steph was to be protected at any and all costs.

I was not surprised when Morelli, with hands raised, was the first to step forward. I had recognized his voice when he screamed at Babe.

The second man to come forward was about 6´2 tall, rather lean with short black hair and dark eyes. He looked haggard with shallow skin and must be a good deal older than me around fifty if I had to guess. He hadn´t raised hands.

The third man looked vaguely familiar but couldn´t place his face at the moment. He was about my height and weight, his skin a shade darker than Bobby´s and a good ten years older than me.

The fourth man however left me questioning my sanity. There standing in line with the other three was Col. Lewis Sanders aka Nighthawk, who had been one of my instructors at Ranger School. He was one mean bastard but without him I wouldn´t have become this good. What the HELL is he doing here? And what the hell should I do now? I can´t very well stand here pointing my gun at a man I deeply respect.

I wasn´t the only one who felt that way. Each of the men here, with the exception of Cal who was a Seal, was trained by Sanders.

Sensing my unease Steph snarled

"Don`t you dare, Ranger. You keep that gun steady or you will regret it." There was that threatening tone again.

Did I just saw see a flash of approval in Sanders eyes?

"Hal, Cal, Eric, and Silvio search them for weapons, comm., and tracking devices." She ordered. When no one moved, she thundered "NOW!"

They hastily obeyed. I can´t blame them she sounded like Sanders on a bad day.

Morelli was clearly uncomfortable being searched and disarmed by my men, but the other three didn´t bat an eye.

Morelli opened his mouth but before he could utter a sound the tall dark man spoke up.

"Mr. Morelli kindly keep your mouth shut. Stephanie thinks you have ratted her out to us and that we are here to liquidate her and her friends. She has her gun pointed at you and is currently plotting your untimely demise and if I know her at all it won´t be a pleasant death. That woman has a real sadistic streak." He sounded… proud?

I always prided myself to be an intelligent man, always aware and able to quickly adapt to any situation, but right now I´m at my wits end.

Steph crooked her head and smiled.

"I learned from the best. Guys, may I introduce to you Army Col. Lewis Sanders, Navy Capt. Allan Pike, you may have heard of him under the name Tell and The Spymaster, my mentors." She let her gun sink and threw herself at the three men.

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Hell, my Babe was personally trained by one of the best and meanest Rangers in Ranger history. Nighthawk.

Tell, Allan Pike, is a legendary Sniper of Seal Team Six. It was rumored he had never missed his mark. The total sum of confirmed kills was never revealed but it was rumored to be around 200.

And if I have to make an educated guess I would say the Spymaster is from the CIA and he too is the best they had to offer.

No wonder Steph was able to best me with this kind of training. I wonder how many facets of Stephanie I still have to discover.

* * *

><p>13 William Butler Yeats Easter, 1916<p>

A/N: You know what you have to do to discover why they are here...


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: This Chapter is for Sophiepicklegirl…

The shortness of it however is the "fault" of Margaret. She said it´s perfect to break there, so don´t "flame" me…hehe…

Margaret you were right it´s perfect. Love ya bunches!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 26**

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2003 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

What the hell are they doing here? That RAT Morelli I swear if Terry weren´t pregnant I would have shot him the moment he stepped into the cave. They better have a good explanation for being here. If this indeed should be an attempt to kill me or mine, it was pitiful. Mentors and friends or not, try to harm what´s mine and you won´t live long enough to regret it. They'd be dead before they hit the ground.

Luckily that didn´t seem to be the case. As soon as I looked them in the eyes, I knew something was going on and that they were here for me not after me. Nevertheless, I followed protocol and had the Merry Men disarm and search them for trackers.

When the Merry Men were finished I introduced them. I know I shocked Ranger and the others but I couldn´t care less right now. I threw my arms around all four and whispered.

"I am so going to kill you for the stunt you just pulled." They all chuckled.

These men are my family, they forged me into the woman I am today and through the last three years, and they kept me sane, especially after I learned about Tank. Sure Ranger and the Merry Men always supported me and I love them dearly but due to my mission, I could never be my true self with them.

"I don´t suspect this is a courtesy call. What´s up?" I asked.

However, before one of them could answer a very irritated Ranger interrupted.

"Just a moment" he said as he grabbed me by my arms. "You were trained by Col. Sanders? Jesus Stephanie, you said you was trained by soldiers, Sanders is a damn Rangers legend. He.."

"MANOSO" Sanders´ barked, "Stop this nonsense. Unhand Nyx we have more important things to discuss."

"Sir, yes, Sir" I saluted. I couldn't help it I might not be in the Army any longer but I will always be a soldier.

" At ease soldier." Sanders said.

"Nyx we have a Mordor15. " The Spymaster added.

I froze.

`Those Stupid Dumbshit Goddamn Motherfuckers.`

"Report" I barked and Sanders immediately obeyed.

"Alert at 0700 hours. Contacted Morelli at 0715. All clear when we arrived. No traps. Tango went off the grid in Curlew minutes before we came in. Alpha is half an hour behind."

That´s why I love working with these guys; no chit chat and no questioning my competences. They once had been my teachers but we have been equals for years now. They accept that I am in charge because it´s my backup plans we are executing; following my lead no questions asked.

"Steph" Pike said. Uh- oh, I´m only called by my given name if something I won´t like is coming, otherwise I´m only addressed as Nyx. The name of honor they gave me after I successfully finished my training.

"Alpha is Leland´s team."

Leland!

"Ass kissing, cock sucking, back stabbing Son of a BITCH"

Suddenly the stakes became so much higher. Automatically my mind palace switched into combat mode.

I am Nxy.

The Goddess of Night.

Tonight I will bring terror and despair.

* * *

><p>15 Mordor is a obviously a code. The Name however is from LotR.<p> 


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: I´m BACK! And I´m terribly SORRY for being AWOL but to say it with our favorite heroine´s words ´It wasn´t my fault!` . It really wasn´t! My internet and phone was broke since Saturday noon the company finished fixing it just a few minutes ago! So please don´t be mad at me for not updating and answering your reviews! I read them all Thank You all so much and please keep them coming. And a nice warm welcome to all new readers!

Love Bea

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 27**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2010 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

I have no idea what the codes Steph, Sanders, Pike and the Spymaster talked in meant except for Tango, which usually means Target. The code Alpha in the Rangers meant the first or primary team, which responded to a situation. I have a suspicion of what the codes mean but I´m not yet sure. I gave my men a sign to remain silent for the time being and to wait.

In front of my very eyes my Babe changed into…I have no words it.

Now, I finally understood Yeats expression.

_All changed, Changed utterly;_

_A terrible beauty is born_

That she was: A terrible Beauty

A Warrior.

And I am irrevocably in love with her.

My attention was drawn back to reality as Steph exploded into a flurry of activity. She opened the bag that had been set aside earlier and took her clothes out obviously searching for something. I walked over to her to ask what in the name of all that is good and holy is going on, when she stood up with a satellite phone in hand dialing furiously.

"Call. Them. Back." She positively growled.

"…."

"Don´t give me that bullshit."

"…"

"Don´t insult my intelligence by saying you don´t have him under control. You know as well as I do that this "escape" wasn´t a coincident."

"…"

"I will make you a deal. You call them back and I will do your dirty work."

"…"

"It´s not…" stopping for a moment she closed her eyes. When she opened them, again fire burned in them.

"Well then we are decided. May their deaths be on my shoulders."

The expression in her eyes made me grasp for air. Never have I seen her so defeated, but before I was able to react her eyes changed back to the steely determination. She hung up and threw the phone to me saying.

"Destroy it!"

Obviously I didn´t react quickly enough, cause she snatched the phone back a second later and threw it against the wall. It shattered into a million pieces.

"I said `Destroy`. When I give an order you will do as I say immediately." Steph barked and dialed another number on another satellite phone. I heard the others snicker and turned raising an eyebrow. Morelli straightened and said.

"That is Nyx in combat mode. She orders and you better follow if you value your life." Before I could inquire, further my attention was recalled to Steph.

"Dispatch Chet, Daleth, Samech to Epsilon, Lambda, Omikron."

"…."

"Extraction Plan: Romeo, Bravo, Bravo, Zulu."

"…"

"Fourteen. Timeframe 36 hours."

"…"

"Eleven plus the Musketeers."

"…" Whatever the person on the other end said changed her blank face into a threatening smile.

"My pleasure. Consider it done"

"…"

"Thanks"

She threw this phone to me too, and this time I immediately threw against the wall.

"Good. You learn." She said. Sending me an approving look.

"Is the RangeMan Jet still here?" she asked next, still rummaging in the bag.

"Yes"

She threw me another phone.

"Send it back to Newark. The flight plans will be erased. You were never here." Her tone was leaving no room for argument. I did as I was told.

After I hung up, I saw Steph ripping a map into three pieces and writing something on each piece. Then she dug out another and wrote something on it too, folding it together again she threw it to Morelli. She stood up and began shredding her clothes. My jaw dropped. There she was my Babe, standing in front of all these men in nothing more than a plain black bra and panty set.

I growled. Other men have no business seeing MY Babe in her underwear.

"Oh please, Ranger. You have seen me wearing much less. And I am sure the guys have all seen a woman in her underwear at one point of their life or another. Besides, we have no time for useless decency. Guys listen up this is the plan." While she dressed herself into black cargos and a tight fitting long-sleeved shirt and armed herself with several guns and knives and ammo, she told us the hair brained plan of hers.

~~~~~oooo~~~~~

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2015 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

I stood a few moments in the middle of the cave unmoving. Analyzing the situation and adapting my plan for the case that someone finds my retreat.

Leland Anderson. A jealous, hypocritical, envious, prejudiced, incompetent, devious, greedy, stupid bastard.

He never liked being bested by a woman. And best him I did and I will do so once again.

I called my former boss and I wasn´t happy about what I was told. Apparently, one of the powers that be deemed it too dangerous to leave either Ranger or myself alive has sent in reinforcement. They think and rightly, so that I will tell Ranger the truth about what happened in the last years.

Evidently they don´t trust Ranger and the Merry Men to finish me off in retribution and considering Ranger just declined renewing his government contract they decided to get rid of both of us once and for all; because we know too much. Tying up loose ends and all. Well, they just made the biggest mistake possible.

You can threaten me all you want, but never ever threaten what is mine to protect!

I made another call setting in motion events they won´t be able to stop. It´s just a warning, though. If they don´t heed it, well let´s just say I still have one or two tricks up my sleeve….

Now I am going to tell them the plan….


	28. Chapter 28

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 28**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2017 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

"Hawk, Tell, and what do you want to be called?" Steph addressed the Spymaster. "Cause I will as sure as hell not call you Master." _Master?_ "Those times are long since over. So pick a name."

"Hades will do fine." He answered with a smirk.

"Modest are we?" she teased.

"Have you met me?" he teased right back. I don´t like this familiarity. I don´t like it at all.

"Fine have it your way. As I was saying Hawk, Tell, and Hades, " she sighed dramatically waving her hand in his direction. "will each lead a team.

Hal, Adam, Manny, and Silvio you are with Tell.

Eric, Jordan, Cal, and Ram you are with Hades.

Bobby, Lester, and Ranger you are with Hawk."

She gave Hawk, Tell and Hades each a piece of the map she shredded moments.

"You will go to the points I marked. A car is waiting there, key the usual place. Check for explosives first, though. Build in surprises. Make sure Leland hasn´t tampered with them. You are going to drive to the coordinates I´ve written down. Change cars if you feel you are being followed. You will be given transportation home from there. You have to be there by 0830 hours on November 2nd. Should you miss the extraction period, for whatever reasons, call the number I´ve also written down and say:

_`Where the dead men lost their bones.`_16

Aid will come to you then.

"Morelli you will…"

I observed her closely as she dished out her "plan."

It´s a good plan I will give her that, thoroughly thought out and I bet it would be executed without a hitch.

She had thought of everything.

Back up cars in different locations in the perimeter, ready to go but booby-trapped should someone else try to use them.

Splitting us into teams with equal talents.

A sniper in every team; a tech guy, enough medic knowhow to keep one alive in case of an injury and brute strength.

Every team led by a legend.

Even her back-up plan has a back-up plan.

On top of that, I am willing to bet everything I own she made sure that I would be left alone from the powers that be.

But I'm also aware of what she isn´t telling.

I know what she is doing.

She is protecting me once again by sacrificing herself.

Her life for my life.

I no longer doubt her abilities.

But she cannot survive a standoff with Tanks and Leland Andersons team.

I know Anderson. I have met him and his team. It wasn´t a nice meeting.

And while he is certainly not the sharpest crayon in the box, he made it up with pure deviousness.

It´s time to stop this madness.

Steph was still gearing up while she told Morelli how he was to get back to his wife.

_`Wife? I have to ask her about that later.`_

I caught the eye of my men and those of Hawk, Tell, and Hades.

I could see they all knew what she was doing and my men agreed silently with me that we won´t leave her alone in this mess.

I focused on Hawk.

I know he is behind Stephanie all the way and will not stop her but I also recognized that he won´t wasn't stopping me from standing by her side.

He gave me a barely noticeable nod and an almost smile of appreciation.

Now for the hard part.

Getting through her thick skull.

"Babe stop."

* * *

><p>AN: I know, I know another short one but mostly these Chapters have their own mind and decide where they want to end...

BTW I am missing a few of my reviewers...Where are you?

I´m such a dope I know, but your reviews keeps me happy. And a happy Author...

16 Form The Chess Game T.S. Elliot.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Thank You! So this Chapter is really sappy be warned, hehe. Sometimes I have to unleash my inner romantic. You know what to do to keep me happy!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 29**

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2022 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

„Babe, stop.

Damn I knew it.

I knew he wouldn´t accept "running" away. Nevertheless, I have to try. I looked him in the eyes and let him see my pain and the desperation. Insufferable man why doesn´t he understand that I need to see him safe.

With two long strides, he was in front of me gathering my face in his hands. His black eyes boring into in my blue ones. We didn't need words. I know what he will say. I know that I will not survive going up against Tank, Leland, Jack, Sam, Bryan, Russell, and Nicolas. I just want to take down Tank and Leland and buy them enough time to escape. Just enough time for the newest political scandal to hit the news, thus insuring their safety indefinitely.

Why won´t he understand that his life is so much more valuable than mine.

"Steph" Sanders said quietly. "It´s him."

I nodded, "I thought so." a tear escaped.

"Tell me, Babe."

I took a deep breath.

"A few years back, I was almost finished with my training. Lewis and I were sparring and he was frustrated. He said, "There is this boy he´s just fresh in basic, wickedly intelligent, a natural in combat be it hand to hand or firearms, resourceful, innovative, determined, and responsible, a born leader. However, he is so full of himself, cocky, arrogant even, respects no other opinion than his own, and has a real problem with authority. I have no idea what to do with him anymore. He accepts every penalty stoically but it don´t change his ways. He has the potential to become the best Ranger the Army ever had but if I don´t get him to listen I will have to send him packing."

I said to Lewis, "Do with him what you did with me. Break him, pick him apart and then put him back together not his body but his mind."

A year later Lewis called me and said, "You remember the boy I told you about. He was just named the youngest squad leader in the history of the Rangers. It´s a shame the Army don´t accept women into the Rangers. What would I give to bring you two together? The two of you would be unstoppable. You could unhinge the world."

"He talked about me, didn´t he?" Ranger stated more than he asked.

I nodded.

"So I have to thank you for the staged assassination of my team in training?" he growled

I swallowed around the lump in my throat and nodded again. He can´t do more than kill me, right.

"Thank you" with that he kissed me softly on the lips. "You made me into the man I am today."

I snorted. Yeah right.

"Babe, do you trust me?"

"Yes"

"Do you trust in me?"

"Of course"

"Then why are you still so dead set on protecting me, now that I know the truth?"

I have to tell him. I have nothing left to lose. Here it goes.

"Because I cannot imagine a world without you in it." He blinked once, twice and then he whispered,

"Oh, Babe" His lips crashed down on mine. His tongue ghosted over my lower lip, asking for entrance, which I happily granted. Our tongues danced the eternal dance, taking and giving. Our bodies pressed so close I was no longer sure where mine ended and his began.

Sadly, there is still a deadly danger waiting out there, so we ended the kiss.

"Babe, why in the name of Dante´s nine circles of hell, would you think it´s any different for me?"

"HUH" Eloquence thy name is Stephanie.

Shaking his head with an amused smile Ranger said.

"For such an intelligent woman you are really stupid sometimes. We are in this together. You and me. I know why you did what you did and although I don´t like it that much I understand and I forgive you. I thank you for saving my life, my daughter, my family, my friends and my company. I love you Stephanie Plum. We are in this together. What do you think? Are we unstoppable together?"

What to say except.

"I love you, too."

"I know but that´s not what I asked. Will you Stephanie Nyx Plum unhinge the world with me?"

There was only one thing a girl could say.

"YES"

"Well then, let´s show those fuckers it´s a bad idea to mess with us." There was this unholy gleam in his eyes. Sonovagun it´s going to be good.

"Yeah, let´s"

Ranger took my hand in his and we turned.

"Guy´s…" I started

"The plan…" Ranger continued.

"Has changed!" we finished together.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: PLEASE READ!**

You remember that I wasn´t able to update last weekend due to my provider? Well it seems that they still have major problems. This morning I received an e-mail from my company notifying me that they will shut down phone and internet on Saturday morning 6 am (my time) in my neighborhood for about 48 h. Don´t ask me why but one of the Streets near mine is renewed, so maybe it´s related. So sadly no updates on sat.&sun. but don´t stop reviewing! I will get them and I will use the time and ftry to inish writing Betrayal. I´m currently writing Chapter 36, the Battle. So hit the button and keep me happy!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 30**

**Lester's PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2030 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Holy fucking shit. Look at the two of them.

Boy I would pity the poor SOB´s if I weren´t so pissed of myself. Tank…I still can´t wrap my head around it but I have no reason to doubt, Beautiful. Not when she is backed up by Nighthawk. Nighthawk and Tell holy fucking shit. Beautiful was personally tutored by two military legends. Unfuckingbelievable. I have a funny feeling there is still much more to her than she has told us. I was right from the start when I said it´s not like it seems with beautiful betraying us.

Now Carlos is finally claiming her as his. He is right to do so or I would have moved in on her, family or not. Oh, I know they were designed for each other, but if my dear cousin hadn´t stepped up, I would have been happy with anything Beautiful could give me.

**Bobby's PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2030 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

WOW! I didn´t see that coming. Tank…He sure had us fooled. All this time we were claiming to be aware of our surroundings. Aware we were indeed, so aware we didn´t see what was staring us right in the face. Bested by a chit of a white girl from the Burg.

As soon as this mess is sorted out and I can think clearly again I am chaining Bomber to a chair and demand answers to the questions I have.

**Cal's PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2030 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

I studied Psychology after I was discharged from the Navy due to medical reasons. I choose this area of study because I needed to understand my anxieties in order to move on after being held captive for months in a classified country. I was hired by RangeMan not only because of my military background but also due to my PhD. But now I am tempted to give back my certificate and buy me a copy of Psychology for Dummies. Not once in six years have I picked up on Tanks madness.

And Angel I don´t even know where to start…

As soon as we get back to Haywood, I´m going to sit her down and pick her brain until I´m completely satisfied that I understand even the smallest tidbit. I don´t like being ignorant of anything.

**Silvio's PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2030 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

One thing above all others irked me. How in the name of God was Steph able to get around the security system I designed for RangeMan? When we are finished here I'm going to shanghai her to Miami and keep her there until we have gone over the system with a fine toothed comb and I know exactly how they bypassed it. Then I will design something new and she has to test it until it´s unbreakable.

**Hades PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2030 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Our little girl is all grown up. I still remember the 20 year old determined young woman I first met. Back then I could see the potential of what she could become, but what she became exceeded my expectation by far. She exceeded me. Until she became my successor I was the best spy the Agency had to offer.

I followed her career from the moment she graduated and the Manoso case was her masterpiece. Dupree was a nasty piece of work. In addition, her extracurricular activities…I bet she told Manoso only the gist of what went down in the last few years. What I would give to be a fly on the wall when she finally tells him the lengths she went to protect him?

**Tells Pov**

**October 31, 2011 2030 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

I couldn´t be prouder of Nyx if she were my biological daughter. The way she handled our appearance and keeping us at gunpoint until we were thoroughly searched. She never wavered. She knew we would rather die than betray her, but she took no chances. Never trust anyone. Always cover your back. Don´t take anything for granted. We ingrained it in her.

She didn´t knew we were coming. Hell we didn´t know until Hades got a call from one of his contacts.

Nxy planned the takedown and closure of the case and asked us to lead the Alpha-Teams of Boston, Miami, and Atlanta. She told us she will quit her job at the FBI and the three of us silently agreed to keep an eye on her. We suspected that she would contact Ranger at some point and we knew `The Powers that be´ would not like that. Although we had no knowledge of her plans once the case was closed Hades had a feeling and usually his feelings are dead on.

Fifteen minutes after Hades received the call we dragged Morelli out of his bed and another ten minutes later, we were En route to Bodie, Washington. It was no coincidence that we were near Morelli´s hiding place. We suspected that he might have an idea where Nyx was. After all we taught her to always have back up plans for your back up plans.

And now here we are, risking our careers, freedom and life just like she would for us. Nobody paid or ordered us to do so; love and loyalty cannot be brought.

We will always have her back.

**Nighthawks PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2030 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

I am finally getting my wish. Nyx and Ranger –Yes Ranger was Manoso´s codename at the Rangers too, because that´s what he was, the ultimate Ranger- fighting together like it was always meant to be. Their enemies were to be pitied indeed.

I had hoped that Ranger would stop her; he was the only one who had the slightest chance to change her mind. I had accepted her decision to sacrifice herself to save our lives. I would never insult her by taking her choices or responsibilities away. I value my life too much to do that. But it made my heart cry to see her throwing her life away. So to see Ranger stepping in and recognizing Nyx for who she is made me all the more proud of him.

Now I´m going to sit back and enjoy watching them plan and execute justice…


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Thank you so much for all your support! I will continue as soon as my internet is back on Monday! Don´t forget me and leave me a review!

Love Bea

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 31**

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2031 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Our plan was a simple one.

"Gentlemen" Ranger began "We are expecting guests in a few minutes. Tank is coming to finish the job."

"Ähm Ranger," I interrupted with him, "That might be not exactly right. It´s quite possible that coming for me or for another reason entirely. You see what I hadn´t had the chance to tell you before the arrival of," I gestured to Hawk, Tell, Hades, and Morelli, "interrupted was that Tank now knows that it wasn´t your bullet that killed Elif. It was his."

Jaws dropped to the ground. Yeah I know that feeling.

"This information was never disclosed to you or anybody else and only two men knew of it. One was the Secretary of Defense and the other was Hamilton. Hamilton shared the information with me before the takedown."

"You mean to tell me this whole clusterfuck is based on a misunderstanding?" Ranger was flabbergasted to say the least.

"Yes"

"Fuck" said Lester, Bobby, Hal, Manny, Eric, Jordan, and Adam together.

"That about sums it up but it doesn´t change the situation now. Tank is on his way here and he is being followed by a FBI Swat-team. I don´t have to tell you Tanks escape from federal custody wasn´t a coincidence after you arr…" I trailed off. Synapses connected.

"Please God no." I had wondered how they found us but there was nothing I could do about that now I´ve shoved it aside in favor of dealing with the current situation, first. I zeroed in on Ranger.

"Please tell me you took out the subcutaneous GPS-chips, Ranger." I didn´t need a verbal answer. The widening of his eyes and the hands of him, Bobby and Lester that flew to the back of their necks rather gave it away.

"Damn it, Ranger." I cried.

"You knew, but…"

"Cause I knew. I'm a professional in information procurement remember? But I never disclosed this piece of information to anyone."

I don´t didn't have to say it; he knows how stupid it was to forget the GPS. Only the core team had them and knew about them.

"Ah, shucks!" I said "Bobby, take chips out but don´t destroy them, they might be of use for a distraction should anything go Fubar. Leave them here. "

Bobby made a small cut with his knife at the base of Rangers skull and fished out the small capsule. Ranger didn´t even bat an eye.

Show off.

"I would prefer to make a stitch or two, but well you will survive it Rangeman." Bobby said pressing a patch of mull on the wound. "Hold it there until the bleeding stopped, then I will put a band-aid on it."

He moved to Lester repeating the process and I resumed my speech.

"Okay, Tank, and a Swat team are on their way here. The first call I made was to my former boss, asking him to call the team back. The answer was a negative even after I offered to take care of their dirty work. That answer leads me to believe that I´m not the only target. It seems they are trying to tie up loose ends and I think they want to eliminate Ranger also. Although I have taken safety precautions, what I am about to do is…commit murder and there is no guaranteed that I will be left alone after tonight. I´m not that presumptuous to predict what `The Powers that Be` will do. So, this is your chance to get out. Nobody knows you are here."

"If you think for one second we will leave you in this mess alone Angel" Cal growled hovering above me. "Then you better think again. You had our backs, now we have yours. So who are this Leland and his team?" I looked around and every Merry Man nodded.

I had to bite my tongue to keep the tears away. My Merry Men.

Leland on the other hand…

"Leland Anderson is mine"


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: I´m Back! Wasn´t that a fun weekend? No internet, Vettel didn´t win the GP in Melbourne and the Invasion of the Stomach Bugs. But on a positive note whenever I didn´t need to clean up after and tend to my sick hubby(43), stepson(15) and daughter(7) and getting next to no sleep I have finished almost four chapters…. And look this Chap is pretty long.

BTW who haven´t read it yet there is a new One-shot of mine out Fandom vs. Internet Provider.

I big Welcome to all new readers.

Now enjoy and please review!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 32**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2100 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Planning with my Babe is fun. After she claimed Anderson as her prey, well really there is no other word for it, the gleam in her eyes when she declared that Anderson was hers, made me shiver. I divided my men into teams of two. Due to the layout of the land, they will circle around us in a distance of a furlong.

Lester and Bobby. Team Bravo.

Silvio and Eric. Team Charlie.

Adam and Jordan. Team Delta.

Cal and Hal. Team Echo.

Manny and Hades. Team Foxtrot.

Nighthawk. Team Golf.

Stephanie and I will stay in the clearing close to the entrance of the mine.

Tell will escort Morelli to one of the cars Steph had hidden. Oh, Morelli was not a happy camper when Steph stated this, I could feel one of his infamous Italian temper tantrums coming, but Steph shot him down mercilessly.

"It is out of question, Joe. This operation is strictly voluntary and nobody else here is going to be a father of twins in less than six months. Besides Terry will have my hide if something happens to you. And Nighthawk is fully capable to patrol alone. "

He surrendered with a sigh and I had to bite back a gleeful snicker. Morelli is as much an alpha-dog as I am and although I theoretically knew, there was nothing romantic going on between him and my Babe well…old habits die-hard.

After Tell returned from escorting Morelli to the car he would then take up position on one of the hills with Babes M-200. He will watch out for any assassins that may have been sent to take us out. He is Sniper-One.

Ram will do the same but from a closer location. To say it in Steph´s words, _´Ram climb up your tree and cover our asses. Look out for their sniper but don´t kill him unless he is trying to hit one of us in the back.` _He is Sniper-Two.

We geared up with Steph´s spare weapons and ammo. Thanks to her, we have enough firepower to invade a middle-sized third world country. The only problem was communication.

We had the RangeMan standard throat-mic and earpiece but Steph, Hawk, Tell, and Hades did not have comm-units. To eliminate this problem, Jordan gave his Tell, Hal gave his to Steph and Eric gave his to Hawk.

Steph showed us a secret exit about half a mile further into the mine. It was an old ventilation shaft she had covered up. The guys climbed up the rope and spread out, surrounding the areal. Steph ordered them to let Tank and Anderson through but all the others were to be captured, alive if possible. She described Anderson and the members of his team to us.

Steph and I will hide at the entrance of the mine waiting for Tank and we will settle this matter, once and for all. Once he is here, we will separate and Steph will hunt down Anderson. I was not happy with this part of the plan but there is no way to persuade her otherwise.

Morelli was the last to climb up the rope, before he did so he gathered Steph in a bone-crushing hug. After he released her, he turned to me and offered his hand. I took it and he drew me into a one armed hug, whispering in my ear.

"Don´t mess it up, Manoso." Squeezing my hand a bit harder.

"I won´t" I answered honestly.

He stepped back and looked me in the eyes, judging my honesty. I let my blank face drop for a moment and let him see how deep my feelings for Stephanie were. He nodded and with a last smile at Steph, he turned and climbed up the rope.

Steph and I went back but when I wanted to bypass the cavern, she took my hand and pulled me behind her into the cavern. She went to one of her bags searching for something when she found it she stood up again and offered me three USB-Sticks.

"These contain the complete Manoso file and it´s the only copy. Not even the Black Unit has that much information. They contain every single thing I've done in the last 1198 days. Everything I didn´t tell you, because it wasn´t relevant in the big scheme of things. My personal dairy, if you will, from July 20th , 2008 until this morning. Plus copies and photos of every piece of evidence I collected, every lead I followed, audio files of conversations I listened in on, video files, my personal notes and suspicions, everything."

"Why are you giving me this?" I asked with a horrible foreboding, dreading the answer.

"You know why, Ranger." She said never averting her eyes. In this moment, I wanted to rip her beautiful blue eyes out. In them, I saw a disturbing mix of love, pain, protectiveness, anger, and sheer determination.

No, I will not let her risk her life for me. My hand moved to my cuffs on its own accord; intending to chain her to the wall until the danger is over. I think she anticipated something like this cause in the next moment she closed the gap between us and her lips crashed against mine. Our tongues battled ferociously for dominance. Her hands snaked under my shirt and fingernails scraped down my back. She nipped on my bottom lip hard trying to take over control. I growled. She will not win this. I pressed her harder to me, rubbing my hardening cock against her. She moaned into my mouth. I had sexual manipulation 101 too. I buried my hand in her soft curls and wrenched her head back; sinking my teeth into that spot just below her ear that always makes her putty in my hands. Rolling my hips against her, I let her feel what effect she has on me. I bit down on her pulse point, sucking the soft skin into my mouth, hard, marking her. Soothing the string with a soft lick of my tongue.

I growled.

"You will not do anything stupid, Stephanie." Empathizing every word with a small kiss. "You will not jump in front of a bullet to protect me. You know who I am. What I am. You did a tremendously good job protecting me, but please let me do my part now."

I lowered my forehead against hers. My eyes boring into hers. I dropped all the walls and shields I had erected around my heart. I let her see my pain from the betrayal of my best friend, my cousin and my other employees and friends. My struggle to come to terms with the things she told me about the case and herself, my love for her and the fear of losing her again, my insecurity where love and relationships are concerned and my need for vengeance. I showed her my greatest strengths and my greatest weaknesses. I literally bared my soul for her to see. I once told her she had all the power and now I have given her the key to destroy me if she so desired.

I could see that she understood what I just offered her. She kissed me softly and said.

"The same goes for you, Carlos."

I gave her the USB-Sticks back.

"You tell me yourself when we get home."

"Yes, but promise me you will take them should anything happen to me."

"Are you able to take on Anderson?" I asked seriously.

"Yes" she said in dead earnest "I can take Leland on any day with one hand tied behind my back, but I won´t make the mistake of underestimating him. Leland is hotheaded and short-tempered and makes fatal mistakes but he is also sneaky and cunning and he fights dirty. He and I will have an all-in balls-out, everything, or nothing, living or dying fight. He won´t shoot me on sight, because he will want to fight me. He won´t pull punches so I´m not going to risk victory by being overconfident."

I nodded accepting her words. I activated my throat mic and said.

"Alpha to all. Tango-two is to be killed should Stephanie be in mortal peril." I sent Steph a look that clearly said ´don´t fight me on this` I wasn´t done yet. "The same goes for Tango-one and me." Steph gave me a blinding smile after that.

The men responded with "copy that." I turned the mic off again.

"Now do you want to tell me what the deal is between you and Anderson, Babe?" I asked.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Thank you again for reading and reviewing.

**VERY IMPORTANT**

So my dear readers I have finished writing the Battle! Now I am at crossroads and I would like to leave the decision in **YOUR **hands!

I can either

**A) Write a warp up Chapter and the Epilog thus ending the Story **_**or**_

**B) Add another twist….**

So the choice is yours! Leave me a review and tell me what you want to read….

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 33**

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2115 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

I closed my eyes and sighed heavily, but nodded.

"Come" I said holding out my hand. "Let´s take up our position." We left the cavern hand in hand and I started to talk.

"Leland and I met about six years ago in Quantico. I was there for my report and a week of training. When I sparred, I usually went up against the guys on the SWAT teams. Leland was new and didn´t know my status or reputation. You see, Black Unit Agents were the Unspeakables17 of the FBI.

No one knew about the B.U. because it did not "exist" but every once in a while we go to Quantico to train and spar. Officially, we were agents from provincial offices and in Quantico to brush up our skills. Of course, with our skill-sets it was obviously a lie and rumors about us flew wild. We were always treated with extraordinary respect and with caution. It was an unspoken law to never pester us with questions not even asking us our names; we were always addressed as Ma´am or Sir.

It was Leland´s first week and unfortunately, he had not yet been informed about these rules. So when we sparred he tried to go easy on me. I don´t have to tell you how that didn´t go over well with me?"

Ranger´s chest vibrated with silent laugher. While I told Ranger about Leland, we arrived at the mouth of the mine. Ranger stood behind me, circling my waist with his arms, and resting his chin on top of my head. We looked out into the night. A storm had come and gone while we were in the cavern; now it was raining lightly and the air smelled fresh and clean. It would have been romantic on any other night.

"No you don´t." he said, kissing my cheek. "Go on, Babe."

"Leland didn´t take me seriously, so I taunted him, provoking him into making mistakes and then I wiped the floor with him but without hurting him too much. I only wanted to teach him a lesson, to never underestimate your opponent. I even complimented him on his technique and gave him pointers on where he could improve.

Well that didn´t go over well with him. He thought I had humiliated him. So two days later, I was running on the treadmill in the gym, late in the evening, unwinding after a long day of conferences, when he strutted in.

I went immediately on high alert, I knew he wasn´t the kind of man who took been bested by a woman graciously, but he ignored me. I relaxed a bit and completed my run. I had just started doing some stretching when he pounced from behind.

With one hand he grabbed me around the throat, limiting my air supply, with the other hand he felt me up. Groping my tits and cunt; all the while slurring the typical insults of a man with inferiority complexes in my ear. This time I, didn´t play nice and I beat him to a bloody pulp. I had broken his nose, wrist, a couple of ribs and toes dislocated his right shoulder, and left kneecap and I shoved his balls up his throat."

This time Ranger laughed out loud. And yes I too smiled at the memory.

"You never disappoint, Babe. Proud of you."

"I called a doctor after I was finished with him. The next day, we were both called to the Directors office to report. Leland tried to blame be but he wasn´t aware that the gym was under video surveillance. I had planned to let him of the hook by encouraging him to take sensibility training; but his actions and lies ended his SWAT carrier and he was fired. After he recovered from his injuries he went to work at Black Water18. I kept an eye on him in the event that he ever tries to take revenge against me."

"You have an informant in Black Water?" Ranger sounded awed. Black Water is the biggest

competitor of RangeMan, but they aren´t nearly as honorable as RangeMan. Quite the contrary, there were several incidents which I find suspicious; one of them was the death of 17 Iraqi civilians.

"No, I haven´t." That's not even a lie.

"Babe" This time Babe meant _`You might not lie but you aren´t telling the truth either. You know something.´_ I can´t blame Ranger for being nosy, now that he is out of the Army he is able to expand RangeMan into the private military sector. Taking over some of Black Waters contracts would be great for him. Those contracts pay huge bucks.

"Ranger I got the info from Tell you will have to ask him. Even if I want to, I CAN`T tell you anything." I pleaded with my eyes to let this matter drop.

I know for a fact that there is a spy at Black Water. I might be out of business but I´m still on the same side and I would never risk compromising a fellow spy by running my mouth. Technically, I should have no knowledge about a spy at Black Water anyway.

Thankfully Ranger understood.

Before he could say anything else, Ram´s voice sounded in my ear.

"Tango-one has arrived"

Ranger let go of my waist and gathered my face in his hands.

"Don´t go crazy, Babe." He dropped a last kiss on my lips.

"Don´t get shot, Batman."

He is Ranger.

I am Nyx.

Now we are on the hunt.

* * *

><p>17 Harry Potter strikes again. The Unspeakables are the employees of the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic and of course property of the great J..<p>

18 Black Water is a private military company and is now called Academi. (for further information google it.) Everything besides the Iraq incident(which is investigated) is purely my imagination.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: This is an unusual chapter but ironically it fits my mood today perfectly (I´ve written it a week ago)…. RL reared it´s ugly head and is dead set on sending my life to hell in a hand basket…But I will FIGHT! Theme song "The Kill" from 30 Seconds to Mars acoustic version….**

**I´m assembling a Picture Gallery for Betrayal. It will be up in a day or so(I will tell you when its up) on my Yahoo groups (babecakerus, babe_squad) under raven betrayal so go take a look if you like. If you have a picture suggestion tell me please!**

**Poll is still open but the trend goes to the twist. You all have made fantastic suggestions although I have to say none of it hit my idea for the twist but I might use one or the other idea from you. You have giving me a lot to think about.**

**Thank you for your support!**

**Love bea**

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 34**

The Hollow Men

T. S. Eliot

Mistah Kurtz—he´s dead.

A penny for the Old Guy

I

We are the hollow men

We are the stuffed men

Leaning together

Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!

Our dried voices, when

We whisper together

Are quiet and meaningless

As wind in dry grass

Or rats' feet over broken glass

In our dry cellar

Shape without form, shade without colour,

Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

Those who have crossed

With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom

Remember us—if at all—not as lost

Violent souls, but only

As the hollow men

The stuffed men.

II

Eyes I dare not meet in dreams

In death's dream kingdom

These do not appear:

There, the eyes are

Sunlight on a broken column

There, is a tree swinging

And voices are

In the wind's singing

More distant and more solemn

Than a fading star.

Let me be no nearer

In death's dream kingdom

Let me also wear

Such deliberate disguises

Rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves

In a field

Behaving as the wind behaves

No nearer—

Not that final meeting

In the twilight kingdom

III

This is the dead land

This is cactus land

Here the stone images

Are raised, here they receive

The supplication of a dead man's hand

Under the twinkle of a fading star.

Is it like this

In death's other kingdom

Waking alone

At the hour when we are

Trembling with tenderness

Lips that would kiss

Form prayers to broken stone.

IV

The eyes are not here

There are no eyes here

In this valley of dying stars

In this hollow valley

This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms

In this last of meeting places

We grope together

And avoid speech

Gathered on this beach of the tumid river

Sightless, unless

The eyes reappear

As the perpetual star

Multifoliate rose

Of death's twilight kingdom

The hope only

Of empty men.

V

Here we go round the prickly pear

Prickly pear prickly pear

Here we go round the prickly pear

At five o'clock in the morning.

Between the idea

And the reality

Between the motion

And the act

Falls the Shadow

For Thine is the Kingdom

Between the conception

And the creation

Between the emotion

And the response

Falls the Shadow

Life is very long

Between the desire

And the spasm

Between the potency

And the existence

Between the essence

And the descent

Falls the Shadow

For Thine is the Kingdom

For Thine is

Life is

For Thine is the

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.

**Tanks PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2200 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

I am near.

I can feel them.

HE and HIS CUNT.

It´s ending tonight.

They will meet death´s other kingdom.

Do you hear me My Love!

They will pay.

I will make them pay.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: So the decision is made and the Poll is closed! Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. Betrayal is now the First Part of a Three Part SERIES! More of that at the End of Chapter 41!

Today more of Tanks evil mind BEWARE he is a SCARY one! And I hope I will get MORE REVIEWS for This CHAPTER!

Love

**Betrayal **

**Chapter 35**

**Stephs PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2200 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

We stepped out of the mine together, walking a few pace and then stopped again, waiting for what was to come. We both had our guns drawn but not raised.

"Sniper-One to all Tango-one a quarter mile away. No sign of Tango-two, yet." Tell whispered in my ear. He brought Joe to the car I had placed near an old supply road which will lead Joe to the Toroda Creek Road a few miles northern from us. Apparently Tank chooses the direct path from Curlew coming from north-east.

"Understood" Ranger answered. He turned slightly to me and said

"Keep you mic active."

I nodded in understanding. I´m not very talkative when I´m in combat mode. I am stretching out my senses, trying to absorb as much from my surrounding as I can. It was still raining lightly but the sky is opening up. I could already see a few stars and the moon shone down on us. The wind has subsided but the temperature had dropped significantly, ten degrees at least. Ranger and I stood back to back. My eyes wandered restlessly from one side to another observing my half of the clearing for any change. I know Ranger did the same with his half. Suddenly I felt another presence.

"He is here" I whispered and as if on cue Tank came through the trees on my side. I could see enough in the wan moon light and what I saw made me go cold inside. I sucked in a sharp breath as he came nearer. That…creature coming out of the woods wasn´t human anymore. He…it still looked like a Tank, 6´5 tall and 300 pounds of muscle, but he emanated a… wildness that made the hair on my neck raise.

I was still standing in front of Ranger and felt him turn around. I shifted into an attack stance. Feet shoulder wide apart, one foot a bit ahead, knees slightly bend, back straight, shoulders set, head slightly bowed. My guns were pointed down to the ground but I was ready. I relaxed the muscles in my arms, stiff muscles don´t move fast enough. My index fingers moved to the triggers. He made another step and I hissed in warning. He was about nine feet away from us.

"Watch out" I whispered. "I think whatever sanity he had left is completely gone." I have met my share of crazies but this man, who was Rangers best friend and a superb soldier once, gave Eddie Abbruzzi a run for his money in the craziness department. With one last snarl at Tank I gave up my attack stance in front of Ranger, releasing the triggers. I sidestepped Ranger and went backwards a couple of feet. It was Rangers fight not mine.

**Tanks PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2210 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Finally!

He really is here, just like they said.

He and his bitch.

But where are Santos, Brown and Ram? They said they would be here too.

Whatever I will take care of them later.

Just like I took care of Spike.

He was one of two guys the mighty Ranger lost on a mission.

Courtesy of me.

HEHEHE

Sadly I couldn´t do that more often.

He is a smart one.

He would have caught on.

Oh how I hated it.

How I hated to be their friend.

Watching their backs when I wanted to stab them with a rusty knife.

Looking after his company whenever he went in the wind to play G.I. Joe.

But the worst was Bombshell duty.

Oh I tried to sabotage her rescues like I did when Stiva had her, giving him false information, but the bitch had more luck than brain cells.

I send crazies like Abruzzi after her.

And two hitman.

But they all disappeared.

What´s the deal with her anyway.

Ever since she showed up Ranger is completely screwed.

She is just a piece of ass.

And not even the usual ass he went after.

Okay he never cared about hair and skin color as long as the bitches were beautiful and had tits and ass and were willing.

But she is just some plain white whore and not beautiful at all. Not like you my love.

At first I thought he had this obsession with her because he didn´t get a go at her.

No woman ever resisted the mighty Manoso. When he wanted them he got them. Even if they were married or engaged.

I thought she was a smart woman and already planned to include her in my plans but then she too feel prey to him.

But she went back to the cop, oh that didn´t go over well with Carlos.

It would have made me happy, if I wasn´t the one to pay for it on the mats every time.

Fucking Bitch.

What could she do in the sack that he´s so whipped?

Maybe I will get a taste of her myself before I finish her off.

Yes, Yes. Do you hear me love. I will fuck her and he will have to watch.

I will choke her with my cock.

Oh Yes. That will destroy him.

And destroy him we want to my love, don´t we?

Yes Yes Yes

And then I will rip him apart limp for limp and sink my teeth in his flesh…..

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2213 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Nyx was right, the man I once knew is completely gone. I tried to talk to him, giving him the chance to surrender.

Yes the beast within me demands for retribution for all the sins he committed, but still I can understand him to a certain degree.

I´m not sure how I would react if someone should kill my Babe, and he was my brother once.

But the most important reason was I am not a mindless killing machine.

I am not a monster.

And Tank is clearly insane.

I shethed my guns and showed him my hands. Showing him I am no threat.

I whispered to commands.

"No matter what do NOT shoot Tango-one. Nyx tell him again about Elif."

**Tanks PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2215 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

The cunt tried to stand up to me, positioning herself between the bastard and me, but I send her one look and she scuttled off, hiding behind the SOB.

He dared to talk to me but I didn´t listen.

Now the slut talked trying to poison my thoughts again, like she did in that room. But I don´t listen to her.

I attacked.


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: Sorry for the late update, but the flu sank its claws into me and I slept the whole morning away … This Chap is for fairytaleprincess03, she transmitted review number 600! Enjoy!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 36**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2220 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

Tank attacked with no apparent strategy, he just swung his fists wildly. I didn´t attack in return, I only blocked and dodged what he threw at me.

I could have it so easy and draw my gun, two shots in the heart one in the head. But it wouldn´t be right. Don´t get me wrong I still want him to pay for what he did, but simply shoot this… creature wouldn´t be fair, hell it wouldn´t even be mercy it would be slaughter.

I wanted to fight Tank, the megalomaniac who spared no effort to destroy me and what is mine. The soldier who fought by my side. The brother I let down. Not the uncoordinated lunatic who stood before me.

**Nyx´s PoV**

_`Damn Ranger`_ I thought _´You are too noble ` _

The way Tank fights Ranger wouldn´t need more than four or five moves to kill him.

Duck under the clumsy right hand punch.

Move behind Tank.

Kick into the back of the knee, dropping him down.

Kick to the kidney to have him down flat.

Snap his neck.

Or slit his throat.

That's what I would have done. There is no salvation for Tank.

But Ranger wants his revenge too and I don´t blame him.

But that's the difference between us. We spies have no friends, no allies, we are alone, we use people, we don´t trust and we don´t hesitate eliminating a thread even if the thread is your best friend. We don´t let our feelings get in the way until the job is done.

Maybe that makes me a monster.

I continued to watch them.

Tanks kicks, punches and jabs became more precise and controlled.

It seems like Tank regained some of his lucidity. That or his body remembers the endlessly trained moves.

Tank landed a vicious kick on Rangers tight making him drop down on the left knee and finally my man fought back. Ranger block the following kick, grapping Tanks foot and twisting the ankle. Tank went down grapping his ankle in pain. Ranger sprang up on his feet again, but instead of taking advantage of Tanks position and giving him a good kick in the rips, Ranger crouched down at Tanks head. A frightening snarl contorted his face.

"Come on, Pierre" he sneered, "fight me. Or aren´t you man enough." Tank too stood up. They circled each other and Ranger continued to taunt him.

"Yes, that's it. You are simply to coward to go after me directly, prefer to go after helpless women and children. You can´t take me, coward. Come on, Pierre. Stop being a pussy I will even give you a free shot, come on."

Uh-oh the beast was freed and it wants to play.

Sadly I couldn´t enjoy this any longer, because gunfire sounded in my earpiece.


	37. Chapter 37

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 37**

**Lesters PoV**

Damn, we don't have enough men to observe an area as big and multitudinous as this. Way too many hiding places behind trees and bushes and on top of it it´s dark and we have no night vision goggles and this place is just too fucking big…

Luckily both Ram and Tells Sniper rifles had both a KN-250, a night vision scope.

So we did the only thing that made sense apart from standing in the middle of the clearing in a circle and shooting down everything that moved; we parted and circled in a radius of about 650 feet around the mine.

We Team Bravo started at 12 o´clock, Charlie at 2, Delta at 4, Echo at 6, Foxtrot at 8 and Golf at 10; moving clockwise and each team 650 feet apart from each other. One man observing the front the other the back, while we moved.

650 feet is a very long way in this environment, and so much more than I´m comfortable with but Steph wanted it like that. She wanted to detain Anderson's men as early as possible and we anticipated that they too will divide approaching from all angles. She knew it was risky but was confident to pick up any slack and they don´t know we almost double them in numbers and we had two snipers.

On our way to our starting positions, Bobby and I briefed the others on Anderson and his team. Bobby, Ranger, and I met them in Iraq in 2008, his and two other Black Water teams mucked up one of our covert ops, blowing our cover. I ended up in the hospital with three new holes in my body. I fully intent to get even with them tonight.

Not 50 feet away from me Tank passed by and I was itching to kill him so much so that I had to take my finger from the trigger. There would be hell to pay from Ranger if I accidently kill his prey.

We were halfway to 2 o´clock when I heard Ranger taunting Tank. I turned to Bobby and we shared a knowing grin. The Beast was free.

The happy feeling didn´t last long a minute later we heard shots.

**Nyx PoV**

I shared a short concerned look with Ranger. This moment's distraction earned him a left hook to the jaw. Ouch.

"Report" I barked.

"Breakthrough at 9 o´clock. Wait a sec Wifey." Manny said.

"Ram?" I asked.

"No sight on them and no Sniper so far."

"Tell?" I asked.

"All clear."

"Bravo?"

"Clear"

"Charlie?"

"Movement at 3." Silvio whispered.

"Delta"

"Clear. Should we backtrack?" Adam asked.

What to do? Milliseconds to decide.

"Change channel and confer with Charlie. Silvio is in charge. Your decision Silvio."

"Copy that" both answered.

"Echo"

"All.."

"Sorry Cal" Manny cut in. "Steph we were overrun by six men in total. They weren´t surprised by us. They had night visions and I think one of them had an infrared camera. Three came up on us and engaged us in a gunfight, while three others used that and slipped by. We killed two; the other is wounded but will survive. Have him secured and knocked unconscious, we will leave him here."

"Good job. Anderson?" I asked.

"Not one of them. Maybe he was one of those who bypassed us. Hades saw only their shapes, said one fitted Anderson but isn´t sure."

"Okay, any injuries?" I asked.

"I´ve got a graze on the arm, just need a band aid. Hades is clear. He´s so skinny he dodged all bullets."

"Good. Continue as planned and keep your eyes open. I will welcome our guests."

"Copy that."

I started to walk to the western end of the clearing and call Echo again.

"Echo Report"

"All clear Alpha-Two"

"Golf ?"

"Clear"

Through the comm. I heard Ranger still taunting Tank, it was so tempting to turn around and look for myself how Ranger was holding up, but I ignored it. Even the slightest slip of attention can get me killed now. About 200 feet away from the trees I stopped. He is here. I can feel him.

"Come out, Leland. I know you are here." I called and a moment later he stepped out from under the trees alone, an M-16 pointed at me.

Coward.

I know he is not alone but I will play his game for the moment.

"Alpha-two" Silvio called in. "We stopped four men at 3 o ´clock. We think no one escaped. "

So he came with an extended team, seems like he had learned not to underestimate me. But it will not help him. RangeMan is better than Black Water. And I am better than him. I smiled a toothy smile at Leland to cover the hissed "Silence now" at Silvio.

"Hello Leland" I greeted him politely. Nothing wrong with being polite to the man you will kill in a few minutes.

"Plum" he snarled. He stopped a few before me and I looked him over. He could be such a handsome guy 5´11, blond short hair, startling blue eyes, tanned skin and a well-toned body without being overly buff. He hadn´t changed in the last years still looking like a Californian Surfer Boy if it weren´t for the evilness he emanated that made him more ugly than any scar or bodily deformation ever could.

I crooked my head and said.

"Call the two men that are hiding in the trees here and surrender. My man already killed two of yours and captured one, you don´t want to lose any more men."

The knowledge that we also had the other four I will keep to myself for now. If he doesn´t already know it -I have no idea about his communication protocol- but if he didn´t know I won´t give a potential trump away, I might need it later on. The only thing that worries me is that we haven´t found his Sniper, yet. As if he heard my thoughts Tell radioed in.

"Sniper is out of the game."

I gave neither Tell nor Leland any indication I heard that vital piece of information, my blank face was firmly in place.

Leland still hadn´t spoken a word but he had gestured to his men to come out. As they came nearer I recognized them from the pictures I saw, Nicolas Petrenko and Sam O´Neal.

They stopped next to Leland, flanking him, Petrenko on the right and O´Neal on the left. They too pointed their M-16´s at me. Never taking my eyes from Leland I addressed them.

"Turn around now and go, this has nothing to do with you. It´s a matter solely between Anderson and me. I don´t want to kill you."

"We have the order to liquidate you, Plum" O´Neal stated flatly and Petrenko slurred in his heavy Russian accent.

"You think you can kill us, bljad` 19?"

I didn´t grace them with an answer.

"Leland" I almost pleaded.

"No can do, Plum" he said.

Without waiting for another second I moved my arms marginal and pulled the triggers.

Petrenko and O`Neal were dead before they hit the ground.

Hit between the eyes.

* * *

><p>19 pronouncement of the Russian word for whore, at least that´s what the www told me. I don´t have the slightest clue about Russian so don´t blame me when it´s wrong.<p>

review? I´m still pretty much out of it..damn flu...but your reviews helps me to heal! hehe...and they encourage me to write Part 2 for the Betrayal Series...

love bea


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Thank you all so much for your Get Well wishes! I slept almost all day yesterday and feeling much better today, not a 100% but I´m getting there! Thank you! So let´s continue with the fun!

**Betrayal **

**Chapter 38**

**Rangers PoV**

After a few minutes of dodging and blocking flimsy punches and kicks, some sanity returned to Tank. I let him land a kick on my thigh. I underestimated him. The kick was strong enough to drop me down and the following kick aimed at my head could have done serious damage.

Yes, that was what I wanted. I blocked the kick, grabbed the ankle, and twisted it, taking the bastard down. I could have ended it here and now, but there would be the fun in that. The Beast was unleashed.

I heard the gunfire and shared a short look with Nyx. The concern about my men in her eyes was the same as in mine. Yes she will take care of it. But more importantly I TRUST her to do so.

This moment of distraction cost me a hit to the jaw, but the pain was worth it. I let the Beast take over control.

I kicked and punched and threw. I snarled and growled and taunted my prey. I dodged and block and occasionally let a hit thru. I like to play with my prey before I kill it. Oh, this was so much better then training. No pulling punches. No restrains. No holds-barred.

I sucker punched the bastard in the gut quickly followed by a left jab and a right hook. I drew first blood. I roared in joy.

In the back of my head I was aware of the conversation, passed over the comm.-unit. I was aware how effective and totally controlling Nyx was and how easily my men accepted her lead. I was aware Echo was ambushed but took out three Tango´s and that Anderson arrived. But I let all this wash over me focusing only on my prey.

Suddenly I heard a disturbing tone of my mate. She was pleading. Why was my mate pleading with the prey? I had my prey at the neck ready to crush his nose with my knee; I stopped in my movement and looked up. Nyx stood with her back to me. I saw the top of a blond head, Anderson, the rest of him was blocked by Nyx from my sight. Next to him stood two figures I didn´t recognize from this distance. A second later the outstretched arms of Nyx move slightly and gunfire rang through the clearing. The men next to Anderson dropped down. My mate just killed two men without second thought and I fell in love with her all over again. Maybe that´s sick but it felt oh so glorious. I hammered the bastards face down on my knee with all my might and finished the move with a roundhouse kick catching him on the side of the head. The son of a bitch went down.

He was not dead, not even unconscious but noticeably rattled. I took a few steps back, giving him the chance to catch his breath. I wasn´t nearly done with him. Not after what I learned today. He is going to suffer before I send him to his maker. I drew my knife, time to up the stakes.

While I never let Tank out of my eyes completely I took the opportunity to watch my Babe.

"Just you and me now, Leland. There is no one to hide behind anymore." I heard her mocking him in my ear.

I didn´t heard what he said but her reply.

"They are on you, pussy. I gave them the chance to leave but you chose for them to stay. Now they have to live with the consequences, or rather not. This is war Leland if they aren´t up to it they should have stayed at home playing computer games." Fuck even through the comm. her icy tone send shiver down my spine, but not in a bad way. I always said I was sexually sick.

This time I heard his response.

"You are one sick bitch." He yelled. He threw his M-16 away and launched at Nyx.

Before he so much as touched her she let her guns drop and grabbed the approaching arm by the wrist. She turned to the side and kicked him once in the stomach and once in the face, and then she swiped his feet out from under him. He went down like a ton of bricks but she wasn´t done with him yet. Never letting the grip on his wrist go she turned him on the belly and twisted his arm behind his back grabbing him by the hair and smashing his head in the ground. Holy shit.

As much as I enjoy watching her beating the crap out of the sob I have my own sob to finish and he just got back on his feet again.

**Nyx PoV **

After a verbal exchange of niceties Leland attacked with a ferocious right punch. I grabbed his wrist and dropped him down with a swift series of kicks and turned him on his belly; twisted his arm on his back and smashed his face to the ground just for the hell of it.

I leaned forward, my whole weight on the knee which I had coincidently placed on his kidney, and snarled in his ear.

"That was pathetic."

I jumped off his back and picked up my guns and his M-16, disabled all three and threw the parts into the bushes. I shed my tactical harness with integrated Kevlar plates to have a better mobility. Leland might be stronger physically but I´m faster and more agile than he and I have the better technique. Leland was back on his feet, wiping away the blood on his face and acknowledged what I did.

"We will settle this once and for all, Leland. Just you and me." I said.

He nodded and spat,

"No weapons. I´ll rip you apart with my bare hands."

As an answer I took out my Sig P226 which I had stashed in the waistband at the small of my back. I even took out the baby Glock from the ankle holster and the knife I had in my right boot, disabled the guns, and threw everything in a wide arc into the bushes.

Leland did the same taking the two Berettas out of his tight holsters and a Revolver out of the ankle holster, disabled them and threw them away.

"Knife, Leland" I said. He grinned and took the Bowie-Knife out of its sheath on his belt. The Bowie joined the guns. Leland also took of his harness.

However I´m didn´t survived this long because I´m stupid and believe him so honorable to fight fair. I am very well aware that he still has at least one gun and a knife of some kind on him. And I didn´t disarm completely either. Hidden in two pockets of my long-sleeve were two small .22 pistols, one under each armpit. Further I have a throwing knife strapped on each arm, hidden by the sleeves and a stiletto in my left boot.

Leland began to circle me but I was having none of it. The time for playing games was over. I attacked.

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><p>review?<p> 


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: Thank you all for you well wishes! Sleeping the weekend away really helped, I´m almost back to my old evil self hehehe...So today I need to pick up the slack houseworkwise...bah...although I´m a housewife I´m nowhere near Burg Standards(not that I want that)...Bah I hate it...Í very much prefer writing...So Please make my day a little less gruesome and REVIEW!

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 39**

**Rams PoV**

OMG! This is so hot. Ranger and Nyx are absolutely mind-blowing, but totally different in their styles. Where Ranger is fire and passion, taunting and playing with his opponent; Nyx is ice and calculation, decimating her opponent with the precision of a surgeon.

Ranger is the best hand to hand fighter I have ever seen but seeing Nyx now I´m not sure that he will have the upper hand should he and Nyx ever go up against each other. I would give my right hand to see those two give it go.

She has not even the half the weight and bulk of Anderson –not to mention Ranger- but she is well on the way to disassemble him bit by bit.

Now I know why Nyx was so sure of herself the whole time since we came here, she could have easily taken out the half of us before we even had known what was going on. And her marksmanship is incredible.

I know of only a handful of shooters who could have taken out two enemies, who stood about three feet apart, simultaneously with a headshot.

I had watched her while I aimed at the man to her left ready to take him out and I swear her sight never moved from Anderson when she shot.

This means she aimed at both of the men she killed just out of her peripheral vision. And she hit those men dead on.

Boy, am I glad she is on our side

Once again it was proven just how good she is and how blind and ignorant we were.

She shot Alfa and Cone and every hit was deadly and she did so under immense stress or in complete darkness.

It´s a challenging task to do so for a trained shooter and next to impossible for someone who claimed to hate guns and prefers to keep her .38 in a cookie jar, without bullets.

And fools we were, we happily believed the bullshit about luck she feed us.

Fools utter fools.

I know I should observe the clearing for threats more thoroughly but damn these fights were just too good to miss. Luckily I´m not the only one who thought so, all teams except Tell have come to the edge of the clearing watching.

**Bobbys PoV**

After I heard Bomber agreeing to abandon all weapons I decided that we are going to leave our positions and we will go back to the clearing.

The team of Anderson, although larger than anticipated, was either killed or caught, even his Sniper. A short intensive questioning of two of the captives by Adam revealed we had captured them all. So I deemed the risk minimal and gave the command to go to the clearing.

I don´t trust Anderson to play fair. He is a cutthroat bitch who will sell his grandmother to get an advantage. I want to be near Bomber either to prevent a fatal error on her part or to be able to help her immediately in case of an injury. And I will admit it I also wanted to see her fight.

Of course I also wanted to be near should Ranger get hurt or need help but I know him and I have no doubt in my mind that he will come out of his fight victorious. Until today Ranger is undefeated on the mats where he never goes all out.

Tank is good and had more strength, I will give you that, but Ranger is gifted. He foresees the move you are going to make when you are still thinking about it. Ranger takes to fighting like a duck to the water, it´s his element. He never hesitates, he never thinks twice. Really he was just toying with the bastard. Ranger had drawn his knife and was happily slicing him open.

The fight between our girl and Anderson was much more interesting and disturbingly sensual.

Each punch and every kick was executed perfectly and with deathly accuracy, if it wouldn´t have been blocked. From both.

Seldom have I seen a Krav Maga duel on such a high level. Both were always going for the weak spots of the body. Nyx is as deadly as Ranger but where he struck and moved like a Viper, she moved with the grace and ease of a cat.

.

Anderson was a worthy opponent seldom a hit passed his defenses and he landed a few good blows on her that must have hurt. She didn´t showed signs of pain, however, courtesy of the adrenaline for sure.

Suddenly he let a straight right to his body bypass his left side, he trapped her right arm with is left under his arm print. With his right he pulled her flush against him. He pulled her hair tie out and snaked his hand in her wild curls and wrenched her head back. He forced his mouth on hers in a brutal kiss.

"Payback is a bitch, Stephanie." I heard him sneer and he kissed her again.

I expected her to kick him where it counts, instead her other arm went around his back.

She embraced him.

Kissing him back.

My jaw hit the ground.

Thoughts of traps and betrayal passed my mind with the speed of light but before I could hold onto one of them I heard her purring in my ear.

"And I´m just the bitch to pay you back." A flash of silver caught my eye and a cry of pain sliced through the night.

From somewhere she had drawn a knife and stabbed him in the shoulder. I wasn´t that far away from her and saw her smile. Even with the blood tickling down from the corner of her mouth I have never seen a more beautiful smile.

"This is so hot." I said in awe.

She didn´t let Anderson go; relentlessly she smothered him with blows and kicks hitting him every time. And she hit him with more might than previously.

I heard several consenting sounds and a snicker over the comm.

"This is Nyx." I think Tell said.

"The Goddess of Night." Hawk.

"And a Goddess she is." Hades.

"I would like to…" Les started to say when suddenly a voice that promised a slow and painful death cut in.

"Finish that sentence Santos and you will die. She. Is. MINE." It was the voice of the pack leader. The voice of the alpha wolf staking his claim. Ranger. It was said in such an intense finality that I had no doubt in my mind that no man would ever touch her again without his consent.

In this moment we all looked at Ranger and so no one saw what exactly had happened.

A shot rang thru the night.

We all turned to the origin of the sound and saw Stephanie fall to the ground.

The world stopped spinning….

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><p>AN: Yes I´m EVIL! But It was oh so perfect for a cliffie...hehehe... Love you leave me a Review...See you tomorrow!


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: One of the great mysteries of life! You are out for 4 days sick and your family turns your household upside-down so that you need what feels like a week to straighten it out *headshake*. Damn we send men into outer space but can´t come up with self cleaning houses or something like that...especially ironing...bah...

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 40**

_From 39_

_The world stopped spinning…._

**Bobbys PoV**

….and went into overdrive seconds later. Everything happened at once.

**Rams PoV**

I didn´t think I just reacted. I heard the shot and saw Steph fall and I pulled the trigger. I missed Anderson by a hair´s breadth….

**Mannys PoV**

No, No, No not Wifey…I pulled the trigger…..

**Cals PoV**

Angel…. Two of us fired, I don´t know who but they didn´t hit because he was moving fast. I took aim at the sonovabitch and almost fired when he threw himself on top of Stephanie.

**Lesters PoV **

"Cease Fire! She might be still alive. Cease Fire!" Thundered Hawk in my ear.

Immediately followed by an inhuman roar.

My head snapped to the sound and I saw Tanks lifeless body slide from Rangers hands.

**Rangers PoV**

I heard the shot and saw her fall and my world went dark. I cut the bastards throat and let the corps go. I was running to my Babe.

**Nyx PoV**

I had just kicked him in the sternum sending him back a few feet when I felt the impact in my belly before I heard the shot. I sank down.

**Rangers PoV**

I didn´t dare to draw my gun and shot him in fear of hitting Babe should she indeed be still alive. I heard the shots and the scream of Hawk.

**Nyx PoV**

I heard other shots but felt nothing. It was time. I drew the gun I had stashed under my right arm, and hid it in my palm.

**Rangers PoV**

The sob was lying on top of my woman in a perverse parody of the love act. I gripped my knife tighter. The heartbeats of Anderson are numbered.

**Nyx PoV**

Leland threw himself on top of me. His crotch pressing onto me. I could feel him hardening.

"You are dead, bitch." He hissed in my ear. One hand on my throat he bowed deeper licking my neck.

"To bad I´ve no time teach you where you place is." He rocked his hips against mine again. Showing what he meant.

"Yeah" I cough out a sardonic laugh. "And who will you call to do so? Ranger? He sure can give you pointers."

He roared in rage. Raising himself a bit off me and slapped me in the face.

Hard.

Yes, that´s what I waited for. He lost control and made the mistake to let his gun go to slap me.

I raised my left arm….

**Rams PoV **

When I heard Stephs voice thru the comm. I jumped from my tree.

She is still alive.

And I can´t shoot the bastard without risking hitting Steph too.

So, I ran like I have never run in my life before.

The others too were running to her, Ranger was closest.

**Rangers Pov**

Babe! She is alive! Babe! Hold tight I´m coming. I was just a couple of feet away, when I stopped cold…

**Nyx PoV**

I pressed the muzzle of my .22 to his temple. I saw the realization dawn on him and smiled.

"Alpha Mike Foxtrot" and pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>So do you like it? Hit the button!<p> 


	41. Chapter 41

**Betrayal**

**Chapter 41**

**Rangers PoV**

**October 31, 2011 2330 hours**

**Bodie, WA**

"Alpha Mike Foxtrot" Ranger speak for Adios Mother Fucker. A shot. Anderson collapsing on top of Steph. I started to run again. I seized Anderson by the collar and wrenched his lifeless body off my Babe. Throwing him to the ground, I drew my gun and shot him two times in the heart and once in the head, just to be sure. He will never ever lay a hand on my Babe again.

I sank to my knees next to Babe.

"Brown" I screamed. "Hold on, Babe. I have you. I´m sorry. I´m so sorry, Babe. I shouldn´t have played with him so much. I should have had your back. Damn it, Brown, where are you?"

With shaking hands I searched her body for the gunshot wound while I talked to her. I tried to rip the shirt apart, but it didn´t budge. I tried to cut it open with my knife, but again to no avail. So I just shoved it up and saw… no blood. Just a big bruise was forming where the bullet had hit her.

My eyes flew to her face. "How?" I can´t believe she isn´t bleeding to death right now.

"Miguel Caballero. Antiballistic clothes" she smiled at me.20

"Antiballistic clothes" She is making no sense. She wasn't wearing a vest just this shirt.

"You are not hurt?" I still don´t get it. She cupped my face with her hand.

"No I tried to tell you but you weren´t listening, too busy blaming yourself for something that wasn´t your fault. I had anticipated something like this. You should know by now that I´m always prepared. This shirt and trousers are made of a bulletproof material level 3A stops every bullet from 9mm and less up to .44 Magnum and knives to. I have those made by my own specifics with hidden pockets for guns and knives and such, ridiculously expensive."

I had no words for that piece of information other than.

"No price, Babe" And crashed my lips down on hers.

Adrenaline was still running high in my blood I was totally unaware of my surroundings. I need to see her, feel her, smell her, and taste her. The urge to reassure myself in the most primal way; that she is still alive, that we both came out alive, to reconnect with her; was so strong that I completely forgot where we were and that I almost made love to Steph in front of my men and a dead body. This was not how I planned to really ruin her for all other men how she did it ruin me for all other women in that one glorious night.

Steph wasn´t far behind. She tore my shirt apart kissing and nipping each inch of skin she could reach, scraping her nails down my back, driving me crazy with want for her. I palmed her beautiful breasts eliciting sweet moans from her. I gathered her wrists in my hand and hold them down above her head and was well on my way working her pants of her when I was wrenched back by several hands.

Rage surged thru me and I tried to fight of the attackers, it took several moments for the voice of my cousin to penetrate my lust clouded mind.

"Ricardo Carlos Manoso, damn it you can't do that now. Let Bobby have a look at Stephanie. She took a bullet to the gut even with that wonder fabric of hers she might have internal bleedings. And Bobby will take a look at you too. That was one hell of a fight and you took some good hits too."

Sanity returned to me and I looked around. Ram and Eric each holding an arm down, someone I couldn´t see sat on my legs, while Lester sat astride my chest holding my head in his hands. I blinked once, twice and nodded. Silently telling Les I´m okay now. With one last look to make sure I won´t attack again Les got up and the others vanished too. Les offered me his hand, I grabbed it and he pulled me up onto my feet.

We went back the few feet to Steph, who was lying flat on her back being picked and prodded by Bobby and not happy about it.

"Brown I´ll tell you one last time before I punch you. I am fine. Just bruises they will heal just fine all on their own. Go motherhen Ranger and then look after the guys you took out."

It seems like all facets of my Babe share the aversion for doctors and hospitals. I laughed.

"Harassing my men, Babe?"

"Pff more the other way around." She flipped me off and gave me dazzling smile. She sat up and took in my state of undress and crooked an eyebrow.

"Got a bit carried away, didn´t I?" she said not the least bit ashamed.

"Babe"

"Ah hell, you always could scramble my brain completely with the slightest touch so don´t hold me responsible for my actions. I´m pleading for temporary insanity, here." She quipped.

"Information for the enemy, Babe." I teased back. But obviously it was the wrong thing to say in a flash she was up and had my face in her hands.

"You were not, you are not, nor will you ever be my enemy, Carlos." A tear leaked out of her eye and another and another. I felt her trembling. Adrenaline crash was coming fast. It was on hell of a day. I kissed her softly and said.

"I know amante. I know." I took off her mic and earpiece and gathered her in my arms.

"Let us get some rest, Babe. It was a long day. The guys will hold down the fort for a few hours" She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. She was fast asleep before I reached the mine.

"Lester" I whispered not to wake up Steph, but before I could give any orders he cut in.

"We got it covered, cuz. We will clean up here and then catch some eye rest too. Get some sleep Carlos; you had a long day too."

"10-4" I answered. Knowing that he know what it meant. `Thank you, cuz. Love you, too, man. `

I reached the cavern and placed Steph momentarily on the remains of the air mattress. I took off my mic and earpiece. For tonight I will let Lester be in control. Tonight it´s just my Babe and me.

Gathering the sleeping bag, blanket, and some of Stephs clothes I made us a makeshift bed. I rolled her clothes together as a pillow and placed the sleeping bag on the mattress, I lay down and draped Steph on top of me and covered us with the blanket.

Being shirtless didn´t bother me in the slightest, the propane burner still ran and it was comfortably warm and I have slept in much worse places and under much worse conditions.

"Sleep, Babe. I will watch over you. Te amo, amante." With a last kiss to her temple I closed my eyes and dreamed of a future with my Babe.

All was well.

Right?

**FIN**

20 The clothes are real as is Miguel Caballero. For more precise information google it. The level 3A is taken form the requirements for Kevlar. I found this on a German website who sells antiballistic clothes. If those are designed by I don´t know they weren´t very forthcoming with information about how it works, who designed it, the precise fabric, price or anything. *huff* So, I tweaked the specifics and everything a bit to make it fit better into the story.

That's it the End of Betrayal!

What a ride it has been...

When I first got the idea for it and began to write I planned Betrayal to be about 20 chapters long and with a totally different end…..Yeah so much for that. Thanks to all of you amazing Reviews, your ideas, your encouragement, your greed for more….

Betrayal is now a Series!

**Part 1 **_**Betrayal**_** which is finished**

**Part 2 which will be called **_**Resurrection**_** and is in the making**

**Part 3 which might be called **_**From the Ashes**_

And frankly I´m reluctant to let it go myself…There is still so much that isn´t told…So much drama and action and love and despair and and and

I´m off now for a little while writing **Resurrection. **I will be back soon but if I want to keep up with my daily update schedule a need to be way ahead with writing…

And Thanks to the flu I wasn´t able to write the last days….bah…

And here is a little teaser…Just to keep up your interest….

**From the Prologue of Resurrection: **

**Nyx PoV**

**Some Time**

**Some Place**

**I´ve no idea how long I´m here or where here is. **

**I barely know who I am. **

**I have retreated deep down into the fortress of my mind palace. Deep down under my trapdoor. **

**Deep enough to feel no pain, to be not aware of it anymore and only I can choose to come back but I don´t think I want to. **

**Here is no anguish, no pain, no need.**

**It´s only a matter of time until they break by body to the point where I will die. They can rape, wipe, cut, and burn me to their hearts desire but I will not tell them anything. **

Before I´m off:

**Thank You!**

**Thank You **_**Margaret Fowler**_** for being there for me from the start! You are so much more than a beta, dear! Thank you for cheering me on! Thank you for every Holy Shit after I send you yet another chap! Thank you for about a bazillion emails, for making me laugh and letting me rant when chapters once again don´t behave. Now let´s do Resurrection.**

_**We are gonna do this now, Babe. And it´s gonna be good.**_** ;-***

**Thank You **_**Atlanta Babe**_** for correcting my grammar and such you´re making me such a better Author and help me expand my English skills. I´m really looking forward to have you as beta for the rest of the Series! **

**Thanks to David Rio Chai Latte and Tea&Sweets (German company which operates like Partylite only that they sell Tea and Sweets). Their Afrika Träume and Königin der Nacht Tea I drink by the galleon…**

**Thanks to an online dictionary which helped me when I was lost for words…**

**Thanks to all the websites I visited in order to research for Betrayal….**

**Thanks to Janet Evanovich without her Characters I wouldn´t have written Betrayal…**

**And the BIGGEST THANK YOU goes to YOU my readers!**

**Thank You for round about 500 hits on every Chapter…**

**Thank You for to date 695 reviews…**

**Thank You for all the Alerts and Favorites ( Story and Author)….**

**Thank you for all your guessing and giving me Ideas!**

**I love you all!**

**See you soon at RESURRECTION**

**Love Bea**


	42. Bonus Chapter

A/N: For all of you who weren´t satisfied with Tanks ending. I didn´t want to have the big regretful speech in the last moment or him begging for his life or the end of it. Because quite frankly he didn´t regret and neither did he understands. The Poem The Hollow Men ended with:

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.

I wanted Tank to end exactly like that not with a Bang but a Wimper.

He didn´t deserve that much Power!

I wrote this last night after I read Sophiepicklegirls review. Tank knocked and demanded to have his ending…..busybody… But I will not step a foot into this whole: if Tank hasn´t betrayed Ranger he wouldn´t have met Steph chaos- that only leads to headache….They would have met sooner or later….

Now enjoy and Betrayal is now really over….

**Betrayal**

**Bonus Chapter**

**The Hollow Man**

**Tanks PoV**

_This is the way the world ends_

_Not with a bang but a whimper._

I felt the cold steel at my throat.

I felt it slice through my warm flesh.

I felt my blood spilling.

Felt it shooting out of my jugular.

Felt it running into my trachea.

_This is the way the world ends_

_Not with a bang but a whimper. _

Darkness

Silence

Peace

And then light.

I was weightless.

Floating

Floating in the light.

The light melted the ice around my heart.

Ice thicker than any walls, build by men.

Ice harder than steel, forged by hands.

Ice colder than glaciers, created by nature.

My light.

My love.

My Soul.

She stood before me in a flowing white robe.

Glowing.

Her wonderful hair whispering around her.

Strands of finest black silk.

Amber eyes full of love.

Bronze skin sparkling.

She greeted me with the very same smile that had me lost my heart to her.

"Habibi"

I tried to speak, but no words left my mouth.

" Speak with your heart, Habibi."

Only now I noticed that she didn´t moved her mouth, that I didn´t heard her with my ears.

I felt her talking.

Her words, her voice sang through me.

Through my whole being.

I tried to do the same.

Tried to tell her how much I love her.

How much I missed her.

But it didn´t work.

"Oh, Habibi." She sang but her song became sad, dark, discorded.

"You did wrong, Habibi. So very very wrong. You brought so much despair. So much pain. So much desperation to those who loved you."

Tears leak down her beautiful face.

I tried to lift my hand, to capture her tears.

To wipe them away.

To take her in my arms.

But I was frozen.

I couldn´t move.

She shook her head.

"No, Habibi. You can´t come to me here, my love. You need to discern here, before you can go on. And to regret. Truly regret. And to forgive."

She started to fade.

I wanted to scream.

To tell her that I tried to avenge her death.

To apologize that I failed.

I wanted to sink down my knees and beg for her forgiveness.

"No Habibi" her voice only a whisper now.

She faded more and more.

Her song drifted away more and more.

"Not my forgiveness. You need to forgive yourself. It wasn´t his bullet that killed me. It was yours."

She was gone.

But in my hand I felt something and I could move again.

I lifted my hand and on my palm lay a bullet.

Bloodied and deformed.

But clearly recognizable the **T** carved in its side.

It was my bullet.

_And the world ended_

_Not with a bang_

_But with a wimper._

And I wept…..

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><p>Habibi is an Arabic word whose literal meaning is my beloved<p>

Review?


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